Overbrenging van het lijk van Napoleon Bonaparte van St. Helena naar Frankrijk 1840

This bronze medal, commemorating the transfer of Napoleon Bonaparte's remains from St. Helena to France, presents a study in contrasts and historical memory. One side depicts a landscape of the island, its rocky formations rendered with a rugged texture. The sea, articulated by horizontal lines, leads the eye to a ship, symbolizing movement and transition. The inscription arching above, "L’EXIL ABRÉGEA SES JOURS" ("Exile shortened his days"), serves as a stark reminder of Napoleon's final years. This phrase, combined with the imagery, creates a sense of solemnity. The medal's structure—a circular form divided into distinct pictorial and textual fields—reflects a semiotic system where image and text collaborate to construct meaning. The choice of bronze lends a sense of historical gravitas, its materiality grounding the commemorative act. The arrangement encourages viewers to contemplate the interplay between exile, memory, and the monumentalization of historical figures.