This exhibition at the Palais Fesch gives a rare glimpse into the life of the imperial family, through the eyes of Napoleon III's secretary.
Jean-Baptiste Franceschini-Pietri was Napoleon III's right-hand man for more than fifteen years. From 1855, he was in the service of the Emperor, and would be at his side until the fall of the Empire in 1870 and even followed him into exile in England. Franceschini-Pietri is now buried at the entrance of the imperial chapel in Chislehurst and is often refered to as Napoleon III's last follower.
Franceschini-Pietri was the great-nephew of Pascal Paoli and from the community of Monticello en Balagne on the island of Corsica. He left his country at the age of eighteen and upon arrival in France, was taken under the wing of his uncle Pierre-Marie Pietri, Paris's préfet de police. He was thus catapulted into the Corsican circle of the Emperor. He is now remembered not only for his exemplary administrative career and loyalty, but also for his generosity towards his native island. After his death, he bequeathed Pascal Paoli's childhood home at Morosaglia to the Corsican Conseil Général, and paintings to the town of Ajaccio, including Alexandre Cabanel's portrait of Napoleon III.
The objective of this exhibition is to shed light on this important character of the Second Empire, who is nonetheless fairly unknown. Through the belongings of the Emperor, the Empress and the Prince Imperial, as well as through more than a hundred photos, the exhibition shows the intimacy of this family life, from the Tuileries Palace, to exile at Chislehurst (England), and the villa Cyrnos at Cape Martin.
Palais Fesch
Palazzu Fesch
50 rue Fesch, 20 000 Ajaccio
Corsica
Telephone: 04 95 26 26 26
Opening hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: 10 AM – 5 PM
Thursday, Friday: 12 noon – 5 PM
Sunday: 12 noon – 5 PM, only on the third Sunday of the month
Presentation of the exhibiton on the Museum website (in French)
Practical details (in English)
Langue(s) : French