Constructing National Identity through the Lens of the Painted Panorama: The Bourbaki Panorama in Lucerne, Switzerland

Abstract

Using the Bourbaki Panorama, which depicts the French General Charles-Denis Bourbaki’s army crossing Switzerland’s border near Les Verrières in 1871, this paper examines the notion of identity narrative in nation-building and addresses the following questions: How does the Bourbaki Panorama reinforce Switzerland’s national identity? How can identity narratives strengthen or challenge a nation’s collective memory? How can these findings inform current and future practices in the development and interpretation of new and existing panorama projects?