Napoléon's Battle of Waterloo 1815

Editor: Here we have Emile Rogat's "Napoleon's Battle of Waterloo", a bronze medal created around 1815. It’s striking how one side depicts Napoleon so heroically, while the other... Well, what do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s fascinating how Rogat contrasts Napoleon’s classical profile with the symbolic weight of the battlefield. Note the eagles on the reverse, representing imperial power, yet crowded and almost overwhelmed. Does this imagery suggest triumph or, perhaps, a premonition of defeat? Editor: That tension between the two sides is palpable. I hadn't considered the eagles in that light. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. The medal serves as a poignant reminder of how symbols can be manipulated to convey complex and often contradictory narratives.