Titelpagina voor: Recueil des combats de Jean-Bart, chef d'escadre sous Louis XIV, suivi de l'abrégé de sa vie, 1806 1806

Yves Marie Le Gouaz created this title page in 1806 for "Recueil des combats de Jean-Bart," using etching to honor a celebrated naval commander under Louis XIV. This piece exists within a society marked by revolution and empire, where national heroes were both celebrated and scrutinized. Le Gouaz, working in Paris, engages with the legacy of Jean Bart, a figure whose military successes were deeply entwined with the monarchy. The choice to revisit and glorify Bart's battles speaks to the complex relationship France had with its past, seeking stability and identity in the aftermath of radical change. What does it mean to commemorate a figure of the Ancien Régime during the Napoleonic era? The emotional weight of this piece lies in its attempt to reconcile revolutionary ideals with a longing for the grandeur of the past, reflecting a nation grappling with its identity.