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Napoleon: A Symbol for an Age: A Brief History with Documents, by Rafe Blaufarb
This excellent book is for all those interested in Napoleon. It opens with a brief biographical sketch of Napoleon and his times. Then comes the second (and principal) part of the volume. This is a selection of writings contemporary with Napoleon himself thematically arranged to provoke the reader to reflect on the big issues surrounding the Napoleon episode: Napoleon the political general, 18 Brumaire, order, religion, the founding of the Napoleonic regime, the Napoleonic elite, art propaganda, the imperial court, the imperial nobility, experience of war (both military and civilian), Napoleon and Europe, Napoleon and the 'Atlantic World', then Spain, Russia, Germany, the Hundred Days, the Restoration, Bonapartism and the Retour des cendres. There are also some essay questions for consideration (p. 218), for those who want to put pen to paper. The whole is topped off with an up-to-date bibliography. The excerpts are exceedingly well chosen, underlining the complexity of the history in our period. How I wish that some recent authors of general public works on Napoleon had had this important book to hand!
P.H. May 2008
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In honour of the bicentenaries of the Dos and Tres Mayos view these paintings by Goya (and Goya's Collossus) here on the site and also visit the web pages dedicated to the Prado exhibition and the restoration of the two paintings.
- The colossus
- The Dos de Mayo, Madrid, 1808 (The attack against the Mamluks)
- The Tres de Mayo, Madrid, 1808 (The firing squads on Príncipe Pío)
- Goya in times of war, Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain
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Celebration and satire of an Emperor in 19th-century prints
Roberta Martinelli, assisted by Monica Guarraccino, has designed an exhibition of Napoleonic caricature and propaganda. It is held on the island of Elba in the two imperial residences, the Galleria Demidoff (at the Villa San Martino residence) and the Palazzina dei Mulini in Portoferraio. It includes treasures from the Matteotti collection, the Olschki and Turini-De Micheli collections, not to mention items already part of the holdings of the Napoleonic Residences on Elba. The exhibition runs until 11 June 2008 when it will be followed by the Treasures of the Fondation Napoléon, currently in the Museo Napoleonico in Rome. Catch it while you can!
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Napoleonica la Revue: impending launch
The online history review founded and run by the Fondation Napoléon, Napoleonica La Revue is to be launched in a few days time. We will be sending out an ‘extraordinary' letter to bring you the full details, and most importantly, how to sign up.
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"Bleeding ulcer": the commencement and long-term consequences of guerilla warfare in Iberia, by Don H. Barry, Professor of History at Tallahassee Community College.
In honour of the bicentenary of the Madrid uprising of 2 May 1808, we bring you Don Barry's article on the Spanish ulcer. The month of May, 1808 marked the commencement of a terrible tragedy for the peoples and nations of Spain, Portugal, and France. Six months earlier French armies of the Napoleonic Empire had begun their invasion and occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. But the conservative, proud, religious, and xenophobic native populations had reacted initially to these foreign forces with a fear and loathing that exploded eventually into fury and violent opposition in the form of a spontaneous, general, leaderless, and massive insurrection.