Portret van Maximilien Sébastien Foy 1826

Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse created this portrait of Maximilien Sébastien Foy, a notable figure in French military and political circles, using lithography. This medium was still relatively new at the time and allowed for a wider distribution of images, thereby democratizing access to portraiture. Foy's stern gaze and formal attire, complete with military decorations, project an image of authority and status, reflecting the values of post-revolutionary French society. The portrait not only immortalizes an individual, but also serves as a cultural artifact that encapsulates the period's social and political ideals. Consider how Mauzaisse negotiates the personal and the political. While the portrait is clearly intended to honor Foy, it also participates in the construction of a particular kind of masculine identity – one associated with military prowess and civic duty.