Having enlisted in the French colonial army in 1891 for the conquest of “Western Sudan”, François-Clément Coppier (1874-1921(?)) continued his career as a military administrator in the territories under the yoke of French Equatorial Africa until his assassination in Oyem (Gabon) in 1921 (?). Trophies and souvenirs from his different postings form the core of the collection later put together by his nephew, the painter Émile Chambon (1905-1993). F. Morin/MEG