Grens van Frankrijk 1835

Curator: Here we have "Grens van Frankrijk," or "Border of France," a lithograph made around 1835 by Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, housed here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought? What a theatrical tableau! A crumpled figure kneeling before a sign that simply states "France," overseen by two stern military types. The setting is so desolate and dramatic! Curator: That "theatrical tableau" reflects a very specific cultural moment in post-Revolutionary France. Charlet, as an artist, was deeply influenced by his father's service in the Napoleonic army. This print, through its depiction of military figures and the border, comments on national identity and the perceived glory versus the reality of military service. Editor: You know, there's an immediate feeling of power dynamics here, isn't there? The kneeling man’s desperation set against the officers' imposing stance, like a stage play about social hierarchies. And the stark "France" sign hanging precariously makes me question whose "France" is it, really? Curator: Exactly! Considering the historical context, Charlet produced much work idolizing Napoleon but also work exploring the human cost of war and military expansion. The man is at the border, in rags, so it may well reflect the toll such actions take. It asks, for whom is this France anyway? It also offers an interesting dialogue on national identity and the impact of state-building on people experiencing abject conditions. Editor: There’s something that tugs at my heartstrings. The figure looks almost pleading! And those shadows under the trees... They speak volumes. The way he's been drawn gives him so much emotional depth! What is he even thinking as he stares at this sign?! Curator: The sketch offers a very visceral emotional landscape about how national ambitions have implications for individual lives. Editor: Seeing the raw emotion here… it’s really potent. That kneeling figure embodies a kind of vulnerability that challenges those grand, often detached narratives around nationhood and war. It lingers with me… it challenges how we read those familiar patriotic narratives! Curator: Indeed. Thank you, this was interesting, to consider how even a simple sketch opens the possibility to critically look at social identity, emotional impact, and questions of nationalism.