Design of a decorative panel featuring hunting trophies, a shield, and a crown 1820 - 1897

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise designed this decorative panel featuring hunting trophies, a shield, and a crown with watercolor and graphite. The dominant symbols here speak of power and heritage. The shield, emblazoned with heraldic devices, is framed by hunting trophies and surmounted by a crown, alluding to noble lineage, valor, and dominion. Notice the deer head, an ancient symbol of the hunt, but also of sacrifice and purity, juxtaposed with the crown. This juxtaposition can be traced back to antiquity. In ancient Greece, the deer was sacred to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, while crowns adorned gods and kings alike. Over time, this motif evolved, resurfacing during the Renaissance in depictions of courtly hunts, where it symbolized the ruler's prowess and the spoils of the land. This panel captures the enduring human desire to immortalize status and prowess, revealing how deeply embedded these symbols are in our collective memory.