Louis-Charles Antoine Des Aix, chevalier de Veygoux (1768-1800), served in the Armées du Nord and became General in 1793. He joined Bonaparte in Italy and this was the beginning of a very close friendship. In Egypt, Desaix crushed the Mamluks at Chébreiss (13 July 1798)
at the Battle of the Pyramids (21 July). Deeply interested in Egyptian culture, he was christened by the Egyptians the 'Just Sultan'. He left Egypt in March 1800 and then joined Bonaparte in Italy where he was to die at the Battle of Marengo. This painting, produced posthumously, was done using the death mask taken by one of his friends, the sculptor Angelo Pizzi.
A work of propaganda, this picture glorifies its subject, notably by the use of the small allegorical figures in the sky: a winged Victory carrying a palm of victory and a martyr's crown is pursued by death bearing a scythe.
This work is part of the exhibition Marengo. Une victoire politique, which lasts until 28 August 2000 at the Museum of the Château de Malmaison et Bois-Préau.
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Louis-Charles-Antoine Desaix, Division General
Artist(s) : APPIANI Andrea
- Date :
- 1800
- Technique :
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions :
- H = 1.15 m, L = 0.88 m
- Place held :
- Versailles, musée national du château et des Trianons
- Photo credit :
- RMN