Napoleon III on Horseback, Inaugurating the Boulevard de Strasbourg 1866

François-Joseph-Hubert Ponscarme created this bronze medal, "Napoleon III on Horseback, Inaugurating the Boulevard de Strasbourg." Ponscarme crafted this medal against the backdrop of Napoleon III's reign, a period of significant modernization in France, but also stark social inequalities. In this context, the medal is less a neutral record and more a crafted narrative about power. Consider Napoleon III's position within a society that was rapidly changing. The construction of boulevards like the one depicted served a dual purpose: modernization and control, easing military access to working-class neighborhoods, those that were prone to revolt. This medal asks us to reflect on the relationship between those in power and the spaces they create. It serves as a reminder that urban development is rarely neutral; instead it is a powerful tool for shaping the social order. It makes us reflect on the stories that leaders choose to tell about themselves through art.