Portret van Michel Ney 1808 - 1868

Curator: The work before us is a print titled "Portret van Michel Ney," dating sometime between 1808 and 1868, and is attributed to Carl Mayer. It's an engraving, a portrait rendered in the neoclassical style, held here in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: Well, hello there, stern fellow. My first thought? He looks rather…buttoned up. I mean, literally, with all those froggings and embellishments, but also psychologically. The face, though skillfully rendered, feels so formal. Like a mask, almost. Curator: It’s not just any mask. This is Marshall Ney, a significant figure in French military history during the Napoleonic era. Mayer likely aimed to capture his authority, his status as a hero of the Empire, hence the formality in presentation. The museum's display provides a unique lens to interpret Ney’s legacy and shifting perceptions in history. Editor: Ah, yes, the price of glory, right? Pinned and pressed for all time. There's an interesting tension though. The detail in the uniform and medals is extraordinary, almost celebratory, while his expression remains… vacant. Maybe he already knows how the story ends for him. It makes me feel quite melancholic, if I'm honest. Curator: Mayer probably couldn't foresee that part of Ney's history while executing this portrait. Considering the tumultuous socio-political backdrop in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and the subsequent Bourbon restoration, Ney's image assumed diverse symbolic roles. He embodied loyalty to the Empire, yet, post his execution for treason, his figure represented the perils of revolutionary ambition and the ambiguities of honor. Editor: So, even then, images did more than just show. It feels like a stage on which he continued to play roles beyond his control. I keep thinking about all the unseen decisions, and what was truly in the artist's head as well. So many questions about just one moment captured in this one man’s image. Curator: Exactly. A seemingly straightforward portrait transforms into a commentary on power, perception, and the long, complicated arc of history. Editor: Makes you think differently, doesn’t it? An engraving...it’s permanent in its way, like a memory etched in metal. Maybe what feels melancholy to me, is really history bearing down.