Design for a Medal: The Inauguration of the Mausoleum of King Louis XVI 1817

Curator: André Galle designed this medal commemorating the inauguration of Louis XVI's mausoleum. What strikes you first about it? Editor: It’s a somber and somewhat formal composition. The neoclassical figures and urn give it a very restrained, almost mournful feel. Curator: Indeed. Galle's design is steeped in symbolism. The figures represent Piety and Religion, attending to the urn containing Louis XVI's ashes. The fleur-de-lis on the urn signifies the restored Bourbon monarchy. Editor: And the Latin inscription. "Regalibus cineribus honores instaurati"—restored honors to royal ashes. It speaks to a very specific political agenda. Curator: Precisely. It’s not just about grief, but about the legitimization of Louis XVIII's reign by honoring his predecessor. It speaks volumes about the politics of memory. Editor: The careful rendering of the drapery and the idealized forms create a powerful statement about power, loss, and remembrance. It’s a fascinating convergence.