Plate 75 Le Petit Caporal 

Editor: Here we have John James Audubon’s “Plate 75 Le Petit Caporal,” a watercolor drawing and print. There's a solitary hawk perched on what looks like a weathered wooden post. What do you see in this piece, beyond just the surface depiction? Curator: The title itself, “Le Petit Caporal,” immediately pulls me into a world of symbolic weight. Napoleon Bonaparte was famously known by that nickname, "The Little Corporal." Seeing it applied here makes me consider the hawk as an emblem of ambition, of keen vision and perhaps even… aggression. Audubon was undoubtedly aware of the power embedded in that cultural reference. Editor: Aggression? I didn't pick up on that immediately. Curator: Observe how the hawk is positioned—aloof, alert. What does the ruined wooden post signify to you? Might it represent a fallen empire, a tarnished glory? And those verdant vines – are they nature reclaiming what was once shaped by human endeavor? Or might they show persistent life continuing on after a dramatic change? Editor: I suppose the vines can represent how nature perseveres. But why name a hawk print after Napoleon? Curator: Audubon was meticulous. Nothing is accidental here. We are called to see beyond just the “what” and to meditate on the "why." Consider this not just as an image of a bird, but an exploration of power and mortality conveyed through naturalistic forms. Does that not alter your initial perception? Editor: It definitely adds layers I hadn't considered. The artwork feels much richer now, a collision of history and the natural world. Curator: Indeed. It highlights the powerful potential in imagery, which serves to unlock deeper understandings.