Les Conscrits de 1807 Défilant Devant La Porte Saint-Denis 1808

Louis Léopold Boilly painted "Les Conscrits de 1807 Défilant Devant La Porte Saint-Denis" to depict a scene of conscripts marching in France. The image creates meaning through the Porte Saint-Denis, a triumphal arch built under Louis XIV, as well as the clothing styles of the time. France was under Napoleon's rule in 1807. Boilly painted in a style that was self-consciously realist and modern, depicting everyday life in France at the time. The image shows draftees leaving for war, but also the emotional scenes around that, with some people embracing, others distraught, and others seemingly unfazed. The inclusion of women, children, and dogs creates a sense of a complete society, and how war impacts a community, not just individual soldiers. Understanding this image requires research into the Napoleonic era and the history of conscription. The image becomes much richer with an understanding of the social impacts of war.