Portret van generaal Édouard Damesme 1849

Alphonse Farcy made this portrait of General Édouard Damesme, using lithography, during the 19th century. The image embodies the visual codes of power and status that were so central to the period. The general's uniform, complete with epaulettes and a medal, speaks of military authority. In 19th-century Europe, military service was often a path to social advancement, especially in France, which had undergone a series of revolutions and imperial expansions that disrupted the old aristocratic order. But what about lithography? How did the institutionalization of new printmaking technologies shape the way society understood the role of the military? What was the relationship between the rise of the bourgeoisie and the democratization of the army? To answer these questions, we can turn to archival resources and historical studies that explore the interplay between social change and artistic production in 19th-century France. This image serves as a reminder that art is always contingent on social and institutional contexts.