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IT'S A MIXED BAG...
... of Napoleonic history this week, with something for every sort of history enthusiast. Our objet d'art of the month is a touching sculpture made of the Prince Imperial and his dog Nero, which happens to be on display at the Carpeaux exhibition currently taking place in Valenciennes. Staying in the Second Empire and culture, we take a look at a recent blog post on the British National Archives website, which shines a light on a document taken from their collections: a drawing of a lady's glove that doubles as a map of London, designed for the Great Exhibition in 1851. Meanwhile, in 150 years ago, we take a look at Prince Napoleon's attempts to recover from his perceived attack on the imperial regime and hereditary rule. Leaping back to the First Empire, we have plenty of military history to keep you occupied as well: as well as a new Napoleonica. La Revue article - Pascal Cyr's analysis of the logistical problems facing Louis Nicolas Davout in the reorganisation of Napoleon's army in 1815 - we also bring you news of a new exhibition on Franco-Irish military relations through the ages, which has just opened at the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. 200 years ago stays on the military and geopolitical theme, with a look at the Franco-Prussian treaty signed in March 1812. Finally, for those who have been following the Napoleonic theme park story, we have a link to an interview on the subject conducted by NPR with the Fondation Napoléon's very own International Affairs Manager, Peter Hicks.
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OBJET D'ART OF THE MONTH
The Prince Imperial and his dog Nero, by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
Carpeaux was introduced to court by Princess Mathilde in about 1863, and as a result of her patronage became the Prince Imperial's drawing and sculpture master. Towards the end of 1864, he was asked to do a portrait of his young pupil. The sittings began in April 1865 in an atelier set up in the Orangery in the garden of the Tuileries palace. Carpeaux made several portrait models of the nine-year old child, including this portrait with his dog Néro. On 6 May, the plaster version was unveiled to the Empress and her entourage to a chorus of «exceptional bravos». This item features as part of the "Carpeaux and the Prince Imperial" exhibition currently on at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes, which runs until 22 March.
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WHAT'S ON
"The Irish and France: three centuries of military relations", Paris, France
Franco-Irish military relations have been in place since the seventeenth-century. Over the years, this relationship has only become stronger - the period of the Glorious Revolution, in particular, was followed by a large exodus of Irish Jacobites to France, many of whom entered the service of the French king - and today French and Irish troops serve together on a variety of peace-keeping missions across the world. This exhibition, organised by the Musée de l'Armée in partnership with the Embassy of Ireland, takes a look back at the military interaction between the two countries, including the Battle of Fontenoy, the Légion Irlandaise that was created in 1803 and which served at Napoleon's side, and the French and Irish men that fought together on the battlefields of the Great War.
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NAPOLEONICA. LA REVUE
Issue n° 12 out now
Our second selection from issue n° 12 of Napoleonica. La Revue is Pascal Cyr's article "Davout, l'organisateur véritable de l'armée de 1815", which takes a look at the reorganisation measures undertaken by Napoleon's War Minister, Louis Nicolas Davout, in 1815. Despite material shortages, poor industrial output, and a severe lack of available funds, Davout was able to refit the army in preparation for Napoleon's final campaign, one that would see imperial France line up against the European powers of the Seventh Coalition.
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SEEN ON THE WEB
NPR: a Napoleonic theme park with Peter Hicks
Details of plans to build a theme park dedicated to Napoleonic history have now hit news organisations on the other side of the Atlantic. The National Public Radio (NPR) website features a blog post from Xavier Lacombe, as well as an interview with Peter Hicks, the Fondation Napoléon's International Affairs Manager, on the logic behind such an idea and the historical value that any such theme park could potentially offer. For more information on the plans, take a look at our recent short article, which also includes links to a number of news items that have appeared in the English-language press. (Image: © Akg Images/Erich Lessing)
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The National Archives: map of London painted on a lady's glove: the Great Exhibition of 1851
Featured on the National Archives' blog is a fascinating design of a lady's glove painted with a map of London (external link). The glove, apparently never realised, was designed to help ladies get to and from the Great Exhibition of 1851, held in London's Hyde Park. For more on the great exhibitions held in London and Paris during the Second Empire, take a look at our close-up file on napoleon.org.
200 YEARS AGO
The Franco-Prussian alliance
After months of dithering, Prussia - caught between Russia and France - finally came down on the side of the French. Alexander I's decision to pursue a defensive policy in the upcoming conflict effectively pushed Prussia into an reluctant alliance with Napoleon. Frederick William III explained to Alexander in a letter dated 19 (Julian)/31 (Gregorian) March 1812 that the Russian tsar's tactics left him with no choice:
"Faithful to your strategy of not taking the offensive, Your Majesty deprived me of any hope of prompt or real assistance and placed me in a situation where the destruction of Prussia would have been the preliminary to a war against Russia." [Quoted in Dominic Lieven, Russia Against Napoleon, p.93]
Signed on 24 February 1812, the alliance effectively transformed Prussia into a rearguard base for the Grande Armée. Further articles saw Frederick William III agree to contribute a contingent of Prussian troops to the allied force being massed by Napoleon, as well as apply the Continental System in Prussian territory and supply provisions to the French army. Despite the king's military commitments, such was Prussia's animosity towards France that a large number of Frederick William's officers resigned their commissions and entered the service of Russia. The treaty was ratified on 5 March.
150 YEARS AGO
Plon-Plon professes his devotion to the emperor and the imperial regime
The Prince Napoleon's inflammatory speech to the Senate on 22 February 1862 had greatly upset the imperial couple: Eugenie had been convinced by those around her that Plon-Plon's attack on the hereditary right was directed at her and her son, the Prince Imperial, whilst Napoleon III remained concerned that people would think that he shared in the prince's liberal beliefs.
A remark made by the Marquis de Boissy, a curious character whose dislike of the Revolution was well known, and whose puzzling and often improvised speeches to the Senate infuriated and amused his colleagues in equal measure, offered Plon-Plon an opportunity to affirm his devotion to the emperor. Days after Plon-Plon's speech, the Marquis took to the floor to give a rambling declaration of support for French neutrality in the American conflict. He however finished his speech, as reported in the 25 February 1862 edition of the Moniteur Universel, with the suggestion that Plon-Plon's words had raised "the cadet branch's banner against the elder branch [of the family]". The controversy was threatening to get out of hand. On 25 February, Plon-Plon took to the floor, declaring:
"Today, before the Senate and before the country [...] I am reaffirming that all I wish is to defend unceasingly and with conviction, to this tribune and before the country, the constitutional and liberal empire. [...] [M]y duties tie me to the emperor and his son and [...] these duties are in harmony with a long-standing devotion and an affection that shall never waver. "
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks & Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 616, 24 FEBRUARY - 1 MARCH 2012
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© This Napoleon.org weekly bulletin is published by the Fondation Napoléon. Reproduction or all or part of this bulletin is forbidden, without prior agreement of the Fondation Napoléon.
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OPERATION ST HELENA
The Fondation Napoléon and the Souvenir Napoléonien, in association with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have announced an international fund-raising campaign to restore and save Napoleon I's residence on the island of St Helena. All the details regarding the campaign as well as donation forms and advice for donating from outside France, can be found on napoleon.org.
FONDATION NAPOLEON ON THE WEB
Each week we offer you a "mystery link" to somewhere on napoleon.org. Click on the link to discover a part of the website you might not have visited before...
MAGAZINE
Press review
- National Public Radio (US) with a blog and interview on the planned Montereau theme park
- Book review: On the Fringes of Diplomacy: Influences on British Foreign Policy, 1800-1945
Seen on the web (external links)
- The National Archives: map of London painted on a lady's glove
EVENTS
On now and coming up
A selection of events taking place now or in the coming weeks, taken from our What's on listings.
Conferences
- "1812, la campagne de Russie: Regards croisés sur une guerre européenne", Paris, France [04/04/2012 - 05/04/2012]
Full details
Exhibitions
- "The Irish and France: three centuries of military relations", Paris, France [17/02/2012 - 17/02/2012]
Full details
- "Carpeaux and the Prince Imperial, Valenciennes, France [28/09/2011 - 22/03/2012]
Full details
Seminars
- IHR seminar: "Finding Meaning in a Million Victorian Books" (digital history), London, UK [06/03/2012]
Full details (external link)
NAPOLEON.ORG
The best of the month:
- Book of the month
- Painting of the month
- Objet d'Art of the month
- Article of the month
NAPOLEONICA.LA REVUE
Available free on Cairn.info
NAPOLEONICA ARCHIVES ONLINE
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