Vuursteen batterijslot legerpistool model M 1815 c. 1815 - 1816

This is a military pistol, model M 1815, crafted by Goswin Père et Fils, though the exact date of its making remains unknown. The materials—steel, brass, and wood—speak to a time of military expansion, of empire building, and of the complex dance between technological advancement and artistry. Consider the socio-political backdrop against which this weapon was conceived: the early 19th century, a period marked by the rise of industrialization, the Napoleonic Wars, and shifting global power dynamics. A pistol like this was more than just a tool; it was a symbol of authority, control, and the ever-present threat of violence. This is the violence enacted by one human on another. These objects carry within them the weight of history, of individual lives altered by the power they represent. It serves as a potent reminder of how objects can be both beautiful and complicit in systems of oppression, inviting us to reflect on the stories they silently tell.