The Colonist René de Laudonnière Sablais, after van de Passe 1861

Charles Meryon created this etching of "The Colonist René de Laudonnière Sablais, after van de Passe" using a 17th-century engraving as his point of departure. Meryon was working in mid-19th century France, a period marked by both fascination with and idealization of the colonial project. Here, René de Laudonnière, a French Huguenot explorer who led an expedition to establish a colony in Florida, is depicted in the heroic mode. The print exemplifies the ways in which identity is constructed through historical narratives, specifically through the lens of colonialism. Laudonnière's story is one of exploration and conquest, yet it also involves complex interactions with indigenous populations, whose perspectives are notably absent. Meryon's choice to revisit this colonial figure invites us to reflect on the legacy of colonialism. What stories do we tell about our past, and whose voices are amplified or silenced in the process? The artist invites us to confront the difficult aspects of our shared history, to consider the human cost of progress, and to remember that every story has multiple sides.