Portret van Michel Ney 1792 - 1849

François Louis Couché made this portrait of Michel Ney with a burin. Couché’s engraving immortalizes Ney, a prominent figure in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. This image invites us to reflect on the narratives of power and masculinity prevalent during this era. Ney, adorned with military regalia, embodies the ideals of heroism and authority associated with men in the military. But what does it mean to portray Ney at this moment in time? This portrait was made after Ney was tried for treason by the Chamber of Peers, and executed by firing squad. The meticulous detail in Couché's engraving captures not only Ney's physical likeness but also the weight of history and the complexities of identity intertwined with political allegiance and personal fate. It prompts us to consider the human dimensions of historical figures and the legacies they leave behind.