Peace of 1814 and Centennial of the House of Brunswick: "The Effect Previous to Discovering the Illuminated Temple of Peace and Concord in St. James's Park, London, August 1, 1815" [should be 1814] 1809 - 1819

This watercolor, an unsigned work, captures London’s celebration of the Peace of 1814 and the Centennial of the House of Brunswick. It depicts the anticipation before the unveiling of an illuminated temple in St. James's Park. The year 1814 marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a conflict that had engulfed Europe and reshaped global power dynamics. This celebration served as a moment of collective relief and national pride for the British. But who gets to celebrate? This triumphalism often obscures the experiences of those marginalized by war and empire. Consider the working classes, the colonized, and the enslaved, whose stories are noticeably absent from this spectacle of peace. The Temple of Peace and Concord, though intended as a symbol of unity, unwittingly highlights the complexities of historical memory, and the selective nature of celebratory narratives. As you view this watercolor, reflect on the echoes of history and the multiple perspectives that any declaration of “peace” must inevitably contain.