231 - IRON BED MODELED AFTER THE BEDS OF EMPEROR NAPOLEON I BY MARIE-JEAN DESOUCHES (1764–1828)

IRON BED MODELED AFTER THE BEDS OF EMPEROR NAPOLEON I BY MARIE-JEAN DESOUCHES (1764–1828) Folding camp bed, six-bar model, made of wrought iron, bronze, and brass. Work by Marie-Jean Desouches (1764–1828), metalworker. Marked “DESOUCHES” beneath an imperial crown. First Empire period. H. 100 x W. 180 x D. 90 cm. Exhibition 1974 Biennial, former Charles Marchal collection. Related Works An example of the small model is on display at the Château de Fontainebleau (inv. MM40478685), and an example of the large model, without bars, is housed at the National Museum of the Castles of Malmaison and Bois-Préau (inv. M.M.40.47.8685). History The locksmith and metalworker Marie-Jean Desouches (1764–1828) invented this polished iron camp bed, adorned with gilded bronze, which could be folded in half or into quarters. Ingeniously designed, it allowed for easy transport while ensuring the comfort of its users. Napoleon, impressed, ordered several examples for his personal use. In his deliveries, Desouches distinguished between two types of beds: the “small model” and the “large model.” It was long believed that these were fairly minor differences in size or shape. In reality, the Emperor’s beds, ranging from 180 to 200 centimeters in length, differed primarily in terms of comfort and intended use. In an invoice from 1809, Desouches specifically states that the “small model” folded into four parts and could be transported on the back of a mule in its lined leather case or in a wooden crate. Accompanying Napoleon on the battlefield during his campaigns, it had to be easily transported and stored at the bivouac in a minimal amount of space. It included, as Desouches also notes in his invoice, a canopy for privacy. None of this was necessary for the large model, which was presumably intended for imperial residences. Working primarily at night, Napoleon wished to have a field bed in his study that could be made up more quickly than his large ceremonial bed; the criteria of portability, comfort, and space requirements—which were less critical—justified folding it in half rather than into quarters, and allowed for the addition of slats on the headboard for comfort. Far more numerous, because they were in constant use, about ten examples of the small model—marked with the imperial crown surmounted by “Desouches” in a semicircle—have survived to this day, including the one presented here, which may also have been made for Josephine or Marie-Louise. Bibliography *Napoléon Intime: Les Trésors de la Collection Bruno Ledoux*, Éditions du Seuil, Paris, 2018, pp. 184 & 402.