A Napoleon Maxim

Poetry, painting and sculpture

must lie,

but it must be done with

grandeur, charm and splendor.

This Napoleon maxim really hits home with me. It explains why so many of the paintings he commissioned were so over the top.
A maxim is a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits.
I have a fabulous book of Napoleon's maxims which was published in English and French in 1906.
It is chock full of some of his amazing quotes.
I try not to judge him when I read:
"We must not talk Latin to women."

In July of 1815

A mere 200 year ago (more or less) Napoleon wrote this letter to his Royal Highness George The Fourth. (Georgie was regent as his father George the 3rd was slip sliding into insanity, but he was still alive.) Lucky for you readers I will not go off topic and tell you more about the bore.

Lets just say, he was not well liked. He didn't even let his wife attend his coronation. Look at him..isn't he a dandy. Course, I am biased because he didn't help Napoleon.

But I digress.

Napoleon wrote this letter in July, no doubt at the urging of which ever advisers he had left. Had Napoleon not been so tired, I don't think this would have ever been sent. I think it is well written though!

Royal Highness,

A victim to the factions which divide my country, and to the enmity of the greatest powers of Europe, I have terminated my political career, and I come, like Themistocles, to throw myself upon the hospitality of the British people. I place myself under the protection of their laws, which I claim of your Royal Highness as of the most powerful, the most constant, and the most generous of my enemies.

Georgie did not have the power to respond anyway, there was a larger group decision made to send Napoleon to St. Helena. The cool thing was learning what the reference to Themistocles means:

Themistocles was a leader in the Athenian democracy during the Persian Wars 524-459 BC. I wonder if Georgie asked an aid what it meant?

Mean Mean Cartoon

I don't think it was ever appropriate to use a child in a caricature against his father.
This is one of the worst examples I have come across.
There are many English cartoons that poke fun of Napoleon, Josephine and the entire time period. I know they were considered funny at the time. But this one is just bad.
This is Napoleon Jr. (Big Head) with a rope.
The caption reads "C'est le cravate a papa."
or
This is Dad's tie.
Very poor taste indeed.
Cartoonists everywhere should be embarrassed.

Wearing The Coronation

I made my own coronation necklace this week. (The images are in reverse, it made more sense for the piece.)
The two images are taken from the artist J.L.David's Coronation painting. It is and will always be my most favorite image of Napoleon.
And speaking of image, I believe that J.L. David could be considered the greatest spin doctor of his time. He found a way to present Napoleon in a way that would impress and move people.
David attended the actual coronation. He made quite a few sketches including this one of Josephine. I know that the sketches have been in various galleries, but I have not seen them myself. Napoleon had quite a bit to say about these draft sketches and many changes were made before the final painting was started and ultimately completed. One of the biggest change was addition of Nappy's Mom who did not attend out of spite, but who Napoleon had painted in anyway. Oh and the half hearted wave/blessing from the Pope never happened.
Apparently David had not planned to make the crowning of Josephine the focal point. He ultimately changed his mind and the painting is much more moving because of that choice.

"David decided to feature this moment in the ceremony to make Napoleon

appear more generous and less self-serving. "

If Only This Author Was Alive

The book I am currently reading is called "The Bonapartes" and it covers the lives of Nappy's brother and sisters and a few of the extended family members. It was written by David Stacton and published in 1966, so I decided to see if he was still alive. Alas, he is not. he died in 1968.

The author has made me laugh out loud all weekend. His comments about the Bonapartes are very witty indeed. I believe it is a fair comment to make that Napoleon's siblings were the worst example of an entourage any one person could be forced to travel about with. They were constantly eating at the trough that was the French "list." They were all on the payroll and always wanted more.

This book really showcases their excesses. When writing about Napoleon's sister and brother in law, Davis says:

Being part vegetable, Camillo had patience to spare.

Being entirely animal, Pauline had none.

The best discovery I have made is that when Napoleon was on Elba and the bourbon King was back in power, the Bonapartists left in Paris came up with a way to to see which side you were on. The king or Napoleon's.

"Do you believe in Christ?"

"Yes, and in the Resurrection."

Oh.....to have been part of the underground movement to bring Napoleon back to Paris.

Wikapedia writes that

Stacton's novels are often low in dialogue, and his better novels are instead full of his witty scornful comments on his characters and life. At his best Stacton had an epigrammatic style and enjoyed a sophisticated irony.

So true. I am really enjoying this book.

Maria Louise - I just Don't Like Her

I have tried to be reasonable about Napoleon's second wife. (Big head's mother)
Last summer I broke down and finally read a biography about her. She was young when she married Nappy and I have to remind myself that as an Austrian was raised to believe he was the devil. The fact that she arrived in France at all to marry him proves she had a spine....but I just can't like her. And I'm half Austrian.
So.
When you don't like someone, you tend to enjoy finding little snippets of stories proving that the person you dislike is deserving of your scorn.
She's an easy target for me.
Let me paint you a picture.
Your husband has left Paris hoping to stop an army before it invades the country. He's a little busy. One might say stressed even. Your job is to write letters of support, love and encouragement. You are, after all running the country in his absence, so one assumes there is something interesting to write about.
Maria Louise though, has better things to write to Napoleon about. Its all about her various ailments.

February 2 - Sciatica in her right leg

6 - Backache in the morning and rheumatism in the evening

9th and 14th - Stomach ache(s) She constantly overate sweets.

12th, 15th, 21st - Migraine

19th - A cold

20th - A fever

22 - A cough

Honestly woman, I would have sent you back.

March 31 - Complains that she has not received a letter in two days.

How Napoleon Changed the Way We Eat

There is almost nothing you could talk about that I couldn't somehow relate back to Napoleon. It is like six degrees of seperation...you say a subject and I'll bring it back to Napoleon.

So, lets chat about the world and food.

Napoleon is responsible for saving millions from starvation.

How? He's responsible for canned food. Here is how Mirabilis sums it up:

It was the end of the 1700s and the Napoleonic wars raged. As Napoleon pushed forward into Russia, the retreating Russian army left a stripped and ravaged countryside . . . and no food. As a result, Napoleon's army was suffering more casualties from scurvy, malnutrition, and starvation than from enemy muskets. The French government offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could develop a method of preserving food. Nicolas Appert, an obscure candy-maker, brewer, and baker took up the challenge. He had a theory that if fresh foods were put in airtight containers and sufficient heat applied, they would keep.
After 14 years of experimentation, he won the prize--given to him by Napoleon himself.
Appert packed his foods in bottles, corked them, and submerged them in boiling water. Without realizing it, he sterilized them, stopping bacterial spoilage

Big Head's Crib

Unfortunately for Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte, the name "Big Head" for short has stuck.
Napoleon's son was born in Paris, March 20,1811. I keep coming across pictures of his crib, so I believe this to be a sign to record my thoughts on the topic.

The crib was a collaboration of Thomire, Odiot, and Prud'hon, some pretty famous artists, sculptors and cabinet makers. (Prud'hom painted the Empress paintings I featured last week.) Truly, this is a crib fit for a mini emperor.

It is a tad over the top though...and dare I say it, frightening? How would you like to wake up and see that eagle coming at you?

By the way, Napoleon gave a 275-carat diamond necklace (you can see it in the painting) to Empress Marie Louise as a way of thanking her for producing the heir he so desperately wanted. I guess divorcing Josephine did pay off temporarily.

I found the crib listed with Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. I hope it is something I can see some day.

The golden cradle was a gift from the city of Paris to the empress. The decorative motifs glorify Napoleon. More than 280 kilograms of precious materials were used for the cradle. This imposing piece of furniture is more a throne-shaped bed than a cradle.
The design was the work of the painter Pierre-Paul Prudhon. The iconographic designs refer on the one hand to the event of the birth of the prince and heir to the throne, on the other hand to his illustrious father, Napoleon I, and the empire founded by him. Thus the cradle rests on crossed cornucopias, symbols of good governance and wealth. The two little angels, or genii, symbolise strength and justice. The sides of the bed are richly decorated with bees. Napoleon had adopted the bee as his personal emblem in place of the fleur-de-lis of the Bourbons. At the same time the bees represent the industry of the citizens of Paris, who work like bees for their emperor. A goddess of victory crowns the child with a diadem of stars and a laurel wreath. The laurel wreath represents the French imperial crown, with which Napoleon crowned himself. The greatest star of the diadem bears the capital letter N: Napoleon himself is the bright star of the sky. The little eagle who still cannot fly is the king of Rome, who hopes to become a star as bright as his father.

Napoleon's Son - Big Head Jr.

Napoleon remarried the daughter of the Emperor of Austria to begin a new royal family. So when his son Napoleon the Second was born, Napoleon reactivated the title, King of Rome. This is confusing to anyone who is a self-taught Napoleon buff. His son was always called the King of Rome, but he never actually went to Rome.

I have gathered some of the paintings of the little king and concluded that either he had an enormous head, or the artists just painted Napoleon Seniors head on a baby's body. Since the exact same face appears repeatedly, I think copying the first major portrait resulted in this big head phenomenon.

I have to believe he was cuter in person.

Judging A Book By Its Cover

I hate to admit it, but I do judge a book by it's cover.
This book about Napoleon has a green embossed leather cover and this little image. I don't know if it original to the book, or if someone else glued it in place. I saw the tiny picture and just fell in love. I had to see it in person, so it was shipped from France last week.
The book is called "vingt ans de grogne et de gloire avec l'empereur" or Twenty years of discontent and glory with the Emperor.
Originally printed in 1851, this book is the 137th edition, printed in 1965.
I can read a fair amount of French, but I am slow, and so many of the Napoleon books in my collection are not translated into English.
This book intrigues me right from the opening sentence.

I am seventy two years old.

He goes on to say that at 33 he could neither read or write....so how did this book come about? From the introduction I can tell that he was a soldier who worked his way to the grand imperial guards. I also know he received the legion of honour (first knight level).
His name is Jean Roch Coignet. I think he has some amazing first hand stories to share.
Jean, you may be the reason I sign up for French classes this fall.

The Tomb

I took this picture of the dome over Napoleon's tomb. The building is named the Invalides as it was always a hospital for the army. The day was just perfect - for this picture.
It took almost 20 years to get him back to Paris from the island of St. Helena, where he died, but his wish of being by the river finally came true.

"I desire that my ashes may rest on the banks of the Seine in the
midst of the French people whom I loved so well."

Thousands and thousands of petitions were signed to bring his body back.
He was returned December 15, 1840.

Victor Hugo wrote a poem which was translated into English.
Dressed as an emperor, Sire you will return to your
capital,
drawn by eight horses
through the arch of triumph.
with neither tocsin,
nor battle nor fury.

(Tocsin means a bell to sound an alarm)

Taking Pictures In Museums

The rules for taking pictures in museums is constantly changing. Do all the flash bulbs really cause damage? How do you control this in a world where people have a camera on their phone or PDA. I have a little digital camera key chain.
That leads me to my last trip to Malmaison, Josephine's legendary home in France.
We were very early and in fact, the three of us were the only guests for the first 30 minutes. The museum guard was very old....so old, I couldn't believe he had a job. Plus, he was very ill. Coughing and coughing. Needless to say, he really wasn't much of a guard, so when he left to go to the bathroom, we literally had the place to ourselves, so I snapped pictures like a crazy women. (I just hope that there are security cameras somewhere in this building.)
I took this close up picture of Josephine's coronation painting. In person, this painting is stunning. I can't believe how fabulous the dress design is...and clearly, this was Josephine's style, so she must have had a lot of input. It is so low cut! I would just love to wear something like this once.

Napoleon and Sleep

"Throw off your worries when you throw off your clothes at night."

This is Napoleon's bedroom at Chateau de Malmaison.

I have read in more than one publication that he advocated six hours of sleep a night for men and seven for women.

Easy To Understand

"A picture is worth a thousand words."
Napoleon Bonaparte
I only discovered this year that this is a Napoleon quote. So true.

Green Day

"If you want a thing done well, do it yourself. "
Napoleon

This painting does not have an artist reference.

It has been listed as by anonymous.

I love the greens.

There are only a few days like this. The sky and the sea create the green hues.

I wonder who the lady is? Wife I, Wife II or a mistress if he is travelling outside of France. Someone who recognizes uniforms ought to know.

The Two Wives

I have stared at these two paintings many times.

Josephine on the left - WIFE ONE.

Marie-Louise - WIFE TWO.

Both women were painted by François Gérard. (Gerard was an apprentice to J.L. David who undoubtedly painted the greatest Napoleonic paintings, including the coronation.)

So. You are commissioned to paint both wives.

I wonder what they spoke about.

But here is what has been bugging me the most.

Why did Wife Two wear an almost identical outfit to Wife One?

Its not like there weren't painting about Versailles showing you what Josephine wore. I know there is a protocol for colours...but really, maybe long sleeves or a different neckline.

And.

What I really want to know is if the cape was recycled for the second coronation?

How many ermine lined capes with gold embroidered bees could there be?

I Should Have Been Named Napoleone

This is Napoleone-Eliza.
I imagine the phonetic pronunciation to be:
na-pol-eee-oneh, ee-lize-ah.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Napoleone-Carmi
I could be this name.
This is a picture of little Napoleone-Eliza, who's mother is Napoleon's sister Eliza.
I think everyone named a child Napoleon if they could. I imagine they felt it would mean great gifts and connections down the road.
Mussolini must have followed this idea. My dad is a Benito. He swears to me that his mother got the equivalent of $20 for naming him after Mussolini.

Napoleon and Water

It is not known who had the idea first, but Napoleon is credited with finally getting a good supply of water to the people of Paris. The previous royal families had all reviewed the plans but never successfully dealt with the water supply issue. Perhaps it was seen as too expensive.
I was very interested to read that during Napoleon's time there were over 20,000 people employed as "water carriers." That makes sense. How else did the fifth floor apartment dwellers get water? So because you paid for it to be delivered...you didn't drink much...and you sure used very little of it to bath in.......lets not even think about the bathroom situation.
So, back to Napoleon. The plans were already in place, they just needed authorization. And Napoleon wasn't a person to wait when he was presented with a great idea. He also built three of the main bridges, but that's another story.
Also, he only agreed to work if the money was already set aside. He didn't believe in credit and given the amount of stuff he plundered from Europe, he did have some cash to play with.

Power

I love power.

But it is as an artist that I love it.

I love it as a musician loves his violin, to draw out its sounds and chords and harmonies.

Napoleon

Napoleons Love of Monuments

One of the best books I own is "Napoleon in Paris" written by Maurice Guerrini. He wrote about interesting day to day projects Napoleon became a part of. Its what I like to learn about the best...the administration of France and his capital city, Paris.
Napoleon had traveled the world, so when he decided that Paris would be come the most beautiful city in Europe, he had some reference.
In 1806 he declared "The City of Paris is short of monuments; she must have them."
Napoleon was a stickler for detail when it came to war preparations, so it is no surprise that he got pretty involved with any large scale project he authorized. He trusted the artists and architects to some extent, but he had a lot to say about everything including colours and sizing. Most important to him was durability. Things had to last. They had to defy time. The pyramids in Egypt must have inspired him.
But he wanted things quick. Deadlines were very important to him too, so he was known to pop by work sites unexpectedly to do a first had appraisal. "No one breathed until his orders had been fulfilled."
So a little about his involvement in the Place Vendome Column.

"I have read what you say about the column to be erected by the City of Paris, but it all sounds very vague to me; let me have something more precise. When the Senate voted for a statue of peace they were following a Roman custom. I believe that if the four angels at the Museum belong to me and are not objects d'art, they might be used for this monument. None of my orders must be neglected; everything must be carried out.
Can you imagine having Napoleon as your boss?

Reaching a height of 43.5 meters, it replaced the Statue of Liberty that was put up during the Revolution. It was first called the Column of Austerlitz, and it represented the Napoleonic Campaigns of 1805-1807. The first statue to top the column was one of Napoleon as Caesar, by Gaudhet. The statue atop the columnchanged with the changing of regimes. In 1814, during the 100 Days, it was replaced by a statue of Henri IV. Louis XVIII put up a colossal fleur-de-lis, and Louis-Philippe restored Napoleon to the top of the column, wearing a military uniform. The Column was torn down in 1871, during the Paris Commune.* It was later restored and a replica of the original statue of Napoleon as Caesar was replaced at the top.

Funny, I just read about Paris Commune in a new book, The Judgement of Paris. The French artist Gustave Courbet was held responsible when the French Communards tore the column down. He had encouraged the violence by publishing comments that the column was "devoid of any artistic value." The rioters wanted to knock it down on the 5th of May, the day Napoleon died, but couldn't get all the supplies together in time. So they knocked Napoleon off the top on May 16th. Courbet was convicted of being the "toppler," fined 500 francs and sentenced to six months in jail. He was lucky to escape death. (He did manage to paint a great deal while confined.) Later on they went after him for damage money too. So Courbet didn't have much money in the end. That is him in the picture below. The other picture is of all the "topplers."

Napoleon is back on top though. A replacement of him as Cesare is now clearly visible. The column is now in what is known as the ritziest shopping district in Europe; Place Vendome.

Coronation Clothing

On the day of Napoleon's coronation he has two outfits.

The "petit costume" was worn to and from the cathedral and the actual coronation "grand costume" over the top robe and dress. Napoleon was not a fashion hound. He generally found a look and stuck to it. It was often noted that he was the most shabbily dressed person in the room on many occasions. He was just a soldier at heart.

But. When there was an event, he really got involved. He knew that appearance was important to the Parisians, so he dressed to impress. One of the best pictures I found in a book was of these gloves and stockings. I assumed they were Josephine's, but to my surprise they were Napoleon's The stockings are silk and the gloves are white kid. The embroidery was done with gold thread. These items still exist in the Musee des Arts de la Mode in Paris, and I hope to see them on my next trip.