Médaille France Bronze Napoléon III 1859

This medal was issued on the occasion of the Regional Agricultural Show of Strasbourg, in 1859, in the category of Breeding Animals, with the distinction of Honourable Mention. It is set within the context of the great agricultural exhibitions organised in France during the Second Empire, driven by the government of Napoleon III, which actively encouraged the development and modernisation of French agriculture through regional and national competitions.

These regional agricultural shows were events of major importance for breeders and farmers of the time. The breeding animals category held particular significance, as it rewarded the genetic and morphological quality of animals intended to improve regional livestock. The Honourable Mention represented an official recognition granted to participants whose animals displayed notable qualities, without necessarily reaching the top of the rankings.

Strasbourg, as the capital of Alsace, held a strategic position in the agricultural development of the Rhenish region, characterised by a particularly well-developed tradition of livestock farming and cultivation. The organisation of a regional competition in this city testifies to the economic and symbolic importance attributed to this border region.