219 - 19th-century French school.

19th-century French school. An exceptional decorative design celebrating Napoleon I and the Empire. Graphite on blue octagonal paper. Bears a black stamp with the initials “DB” inside a circle. Set in a gilded wooden frame with palmette motifs at the corners. H. 26 x W. 28.3 cm. Frame: H. 58 x W. 73 cm. Fascinated by the grandeur of ancient Rome, Emperor Napoleon I made extensive use of its symbols and decorative motifs to establish his authority and legitimacy. By adopting these codes, the Neoclassical style served as a vehicle for the values of the new regime, ensuring the translattio imperii. The most famous artists of the era, such as Baron François Gérard, put their talent at the service of imperial propaganda. At the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory of Sèvres, the dissemination of the imperial image was organized under the leadership of its administrator, Alexandre Brongniart. Perhaps a design for a ceiling or a decoration for a small table like the Austerlitz table, our drawing is part of this vast iconographic program glorifying the regime. The work is linked to the decree of March 3, 1806, which ordered the commission of 18 paintings intended to commemorate the heroic deeds of the Napoleonic era. These paintings were intended for the Galerie de Diane in the Tuileries, and their completion was required in time for the 1808 Salon. The victorious campaign of 1805—and particularly the Battle of Austerlitz—constituted the majority of the subjects. Inspired by this iconographic program, our project proposes the creation of a decorative composition depicting the apotheosis of Napoleon I. At the center, the glorious face of Emperor Napoleon I, surrounded by 18 scenes arranged across two registers, reflects the imperial project. The inner register consists of nine medallions likely depicting diplomatic agreements. An equal number of winged Victories punctuate the composition, allegorically embodying the triumph of Napoleonic diplomacy. The outer register depicts nine scenes of military victories, punctuated at the feet of the victory figures by lictor’s fasces—a powerful symbol of imperial authority. Related Works - Claude GAUTHEROT, Napoleon Wounded Before Regensburg, April 23, 1809. Commissioned by Napoleon I for the Gallery of Diana at the Tuileries Palace in Paris in 1806. National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon. (inv. MV 1745). - Austerlitz Table, known as the Table of the Marshals, Sèvres, c. 1808–1810. Château de Malmaison and Château de Bois-Préau (inv. M.M.40.47.7190). Literature - LEPRINCE, Camille (ed.), Napoleon I and the Sèvres Manufactory—The Art of Porcelain in the Service of the Empire, Paris, Feu et Talent, 2016. - CHEVALLIER, Bernard; ROTTERMUND, Andrzej; SAMOYAULT, Jean-Pierre; STARCKY, Emmanuel, *Napoleon I: The Legend of the Arts, 1800–1815*, exhibition catalog; Compiègne, National Museum of the Château de Compiègne, 2015; Warsaw, Zamek Krolewski (Royal Castle), 2015; Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux-Grand Palais, 2015.