FOCUS: Napoleon, from the screen to the Museum!

FOCUS: Napoleon, from the screen to the Museum!

With the release of British filmmaker Ridley Scott’s new feature film, Napoleon, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte once again takes centre stage. From film critic to viewer over historian: everybody has an opinion on the subject. The Emperor seems to be omnipresent...

And here as well! To mark the occasion, we took one of our most beautiful treasures out of storage: an exceptional portrait painted in 1812 by Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson (1767-1824), student of the great painter David.

It represents Napoleon Bonaparte at the height of his glory, and the canvas follows the tradition of the coronation of the kings of France. However, the Emperor had the usual fleur-de-lys on the ermine cape replaced with bees, an imperial symbol. We also come across various accessories, such as the Roman-inspired laurel wreath, the sceptre, the insignia of the Légion d’honneur and a book referring to the Napoleonic Code.

This is the last official portrait approved by the Emperor.

Curious about other treasures? Come to the Museum, and discover an incredible collection, ranging from art objects to the most unexpected artefacts.