Maréchal Pélissier
1858
Stare into the stern, mustachioed face of Aimable Pélissier, a French military heavyweight who looks ready to command an army just by glaring. He is framed by a dramatic oval wreath held aloft by two flowing female figures—likely allegories for Victory and Glory—who seem to be crowning him a hero. Below his decorated uniform, crossed cannons and a detailed coat of arms rest beneath the Latin motto 'Virtutis Fortuna Comes,' meaning 'Fortune is the companion of virtue.' Created by Edmond Morin in 1858, this illustration celebrates Pélissier's rise to Marshal of France following his aggressive leadership during the Crimean War, capturing the era's obsession with military glory and classical symbolism.