Passage of the French Army to the Hospice of Mont Saint Bernard, May 18, 1800 c. 19th century

Curator: Hippolyte Bellangé's engraving, "Passage of the French Army to the Hospice of Mont Saint Bernard, May 18, 1800," really captures a pivotal historical moment. Editor: It's undeniably grand, isn't it? The way the artist masses all of these figures, the whole scene just exudes a feeling of monumental effort. Curator: It does, and Bellangé composed this image with the intention of communicating Napoleon's campaign across the Alps, framing him as a courageous leader. Editor: The propaganda practically leaps from the page. But I can't help but feel the artist might have been slightly awed by the sheer audacity of the undertaking. Curator: Absolutely, the image serves as both a document of and a commentary on the spectacle of war and power. Editor: So, a grand image, grand themes, a grand, if somewhat icy, perspective!