[Polka] Liqueur de la Polka Early 19th Century Label

[Polka] Liqueur de la Polka

Early 19th Century Label

[Paris] : Lalande, rue des Lombards, 12, n.d. [circa 1800]. Liqueur bottle label, copperplate engraved design with hand colouring, 66 x 87 mm; some toning but overall in a very good state of preservation.

Franco-Polish relations were very strong in the Napoleonic era, with Polish nationalist ambitions resulting in the Poles allying themselves with Napoleon against Prussia, Austria and Imperial Russia, Polish units playing a significant role in Napoleon's military campaigns. The so-called Polish Legions, comprised of Polish soldiers in exile, were formed in France as an official part of Napoleon's army at the beginning of 1797, and served under this name for the next five or six years. This attractive label, although perpetuating an ethnic stereotype, is an example of the French popularising of Polish culture during this period. (9050)

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