Peace, 1837

Pencil drawing titled "Peace".
Since the 17th century, the concept of peace has been represented by the goddess Pax, who possesses specific attributes: an olive branch or an olive crown whose origin dates back to the story of the Flood in Genesis, and a cornucopia. This iconography remains unchanged during the 19th century; it is also infrequent. The year 1837 marks the conquest of Algeria by France during the expedition of Constantine decided by Louis -Philippe when, with the consolidation of the July monarchy and the reestablishment of prosperity, the king envisages a dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies and seeks to obtain the favor of the people by offering them military glory. A significant part of French public opinion was against the permanent installation in Algeria. Yet the government of King Louis-Philippe launches into battle. The underestimated resistance of the population made the conquest of Constantine very difficult in 1836-1837. Paradoxically, at the end of the 1830s, a real cult developed around the character of Napoleon and the victories of his armies, which would be revived in 1840 by the “return of his ashes”, buried at the Invalides.
Our painting seems to be an explicit call for pacifism in the face of the militarization of the state.
signed Jeneay Didier,
dated 1837,
France