Historical Gallic Period — Gallic Chief Based on a Medal

This illustration, titled “Historical Gallic Period — Gallic Chief Based on a Medal,” depicts a reconstruction of an armed Gallic chief holding a standard and a shield in a solemn pose. The image does not portray a securely identified historical figure, but rather a scholarly illustrative vision of the supposed appearance of a Gallic chief, based on the study of a medal or ancient motif. With its didactic character, it belongs to the tradition of late nineteenth- or early twentieth-century historical and archaeological plates, which aimed to visualize the costumes, weapons, and insignia of ancient peoples from surviving evidence.