Death Mask of Napoleon c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have Luigi Calamatta’s “Death Mask of Napoleon,” currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The image is stark and solemn. Editor: Indeed. The stark contrast between the sculpted mask and the surrounding darkness creates a profound sense of stillness and finality. It's a memento mori. Curator: Considering Calamatta's work, and the tools involved in reproducing such an image – the copper plates, the inks – how does this reproduction mediate Napoleon's legacy? Editor: Precisely. The image then is a product of labor and a tool of representation, used to shape how Napoleon is remembered and consumed. Curator: The laurel wreath, the sword—symbols of power and victory, now silent and still. It’s a powerful composition. Editor: Yes. And by focusing on the means of production we see how constructed and mediated that power actually was. Curator: Perhaps a sobering reminder of the material conditions that shape even the most enduring images. Editor: A good way to think about this image, I'd say.