Le maréchal de Mac Mahon
1874
Patrice de MacMahon stares out from this 1874 engraving with the stern confidence of a man who literally fought his way to the presidency. Surrounding his medal-covered uniform are dramatic vignettes of his greatest battlefield triumphs—Sidi-Ferruch, Malakoff, Magenta, and Mézières—each labeled with the year of victory like a visual resume of war. This French military hero survived the Crimean War and the Franco-Prussian War, eventually becoming the second President of the French Third Republic. It's a fascinating glimpse into how 19th-century celebrities were made: not through social media, but through sheer battlefield grit and a truly impressive collection of medals.