Smallsword Presented by the City of Paris to Commandant Ildefonse Favé (1812–1894) 1831 - 1881

Curator: Here we have a Smallsword, presented by the City of Paris to Commandant Ildefonse Favé, its creation falling sometime between 1831 and 1881. You can currently find it here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It has a quiet menace, doesn't it? All delicate and gleaming, yet undeniably built for violence. I wonder who he was, this Commandant Favé. I picture a stern gentleman, receiving this… trophy? A gilded cage for a blade, perhaps. Curator: It's quite interesting how objects like these can carry layers of meaning depending on the perspective of the observer, especially with regards to their historical and social function. Such a sword could be seen not just as a weapon, but as a symbol of status, power, and civic recognition. It raises questions around the militarization of 19th-century European societies, and how individual merit and bravery were acknowledged within very hierarchical systems. Editor: Oh, absolutely! Think of all the stories this thing could tell – if only metal could talk! All the battles watched, the alliances formed. I bet it was quite the showstopper at parties, too; such ostentation! Though, I wonder if Favé himself ever felt the weight of what it symbolized, or if it simply became a trinket on his hip? Curator: I think interrogating those individual and collective experiences is crucial when we approach art and artifacts. The sword becomes a focal point through which to view ideas of heroism, nationhood, and the ways military figures were idealized and rewarded by society, especially as those relate to class and national identity during that time. Editor: It’s kind of stunning, actually. From something ostensibly straightforward as a sword, all this blossoms. Really underscores the idea that art is never just about what you see, but everything it whispers, suggests, and unearths. I may never look at decorative gold work the same way again! Curator: Exactly. Let’s appreciate this object now with a renewed sense of critical curiosity, placing Commandant Favé’s Smallsword within our continuous dialogues around power, legacy, and how individuals are shaped by – and contribute to – broader socio-political structures.