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In this week's letter...
we bring you a new object of the month, a tapestry manufactured in Paris of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, handing honour sabres to his soldiers. We also have exciting news of two upcoming events - an exhibition in Borna (Germany) about the role of the towns around Leipzig during and after the Battle of Leipzig, and an important new exhibition, Napoléon et l'Europe, taking place here in Paris from March. We have several new publications for your perusal, including titles about the history of the duel, the Prussian infantry in 1869 and another about the missionary and interpreter Vartan of Nazareth, who worked with the British during the Crimean war. This week's 200 Years Ago looks at the formal alliance of Russia and Prussia against Napoleon I, and 150 Years Ago focuses on European reactions to the Polish rebellions of 1863. We've also got a fair selection of things garnered from the web: news of the sale of the Empress Josephine's engagement ring, a podcast series about the Napoleonic wars and a short video for you to watch about the battle of Leipzig in 1813.
We would also like to congratulate Mr Jean-Claude Lachnitt, general secretary and honorary administrator of the Fondation Napoléon, who received his medal of chevalier des Arts et Lettres from Jean-Marie Rouart of the Academie Française in a short ceremony held at the Fondation last week. Mr Lachnitt was honoured for his contribution to the study of the history of the Second Empire.
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Object of the Month
Bonaparte, First Consul, distributing honour sabres to the grenadiers of his guard after the Battle of Marengo, 14 June, 1800, Gobelins Manufactory
After difficult years during the Revolutionary period, from 1805 the Gobelins manufactory benefitted from commissions from Napoleon destined for the decoration of the imperial residences or as diplomatic gifts. Not concerned with being original, the weavers turned for their models to the great artists in the pay of the regime, choosing to copy the paintings which best served imperial propaganda. Here the model was the painting by Gros today held in the Musée national de Malmaison, The First Consul distributing honour sabres after the Battle of Marengo. This great work was painted in 1802 and bought by General Bessières. It shows the First Consul at a troop review on 27 Prairial, An VIII (16 June, 1800), at the camp in San Giuliano-Vecchio, distributing awards to the bravest soldiers, two days after the battle.
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What's on
Napoléon et l'Europe (Napoleon and Europe) - Musée de l'Armée, Paris
An exciting new exhibition opening in March, which brings together over 250 exhibits from museums across Europe to illustrate Napoléon I's great ambitions for the continent and the reactions, collaboration and opposition it inspired. This exhibition is organised by the Musée de l'Armée with support from the Fondation Napoléon.
1813, a Balance: the South of Leipzig in the Year of the Battle of the Nations - Museum der Stadt Borna, Borna, near Leipzig (Germany)
This exhibition will look at the role the towns south of Leipzig played in the Battle of the Nations in 1813, both during the conflict and afterwards.
You can find out more about the bicentenary of the Battle of Leipzig here.
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Seen in the Press
In an article from the March 2013 issue of History Today (Napoleon's Land Grab), Noelle Plack looks at a Napoleon I's ‘land grab' in 1813, a little-known act intended to shore up the finances expended on the disastrous Russian Campaign. In effect, public land was seized and then re-sold at up twenty times its value. Plack traces the overall impact this had in France.
Seen on the Web
A short video (external link) from Deutsche Welle about the Battle of Leipzig, in which Eva Simons talks to participants at the re-enactment of the battle about the uniforms and equipment and their views on the importance of re-enactment.
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200 Years Ago
On 28 February, 1813, Frederick William III of Prussia and Alexander I of Russia signed an agreement at Kalisz in Poland, formalising their opposition to Napoleon I. This firmly positioned Prussia as a counter-Napoleonic force, cementing its hitherto changeable position. This move towards an alliance with Russia had started with General Yorck's defection and subsequent surge of nationalist feeling in Germany (see bulletin no. 656). Prussia was to have its boundaries of 1806 restored to it, in return agreeing to cede much of its Polish interests to Russia. Russia pledged 150,000 men and Prussia pledged 80,000. The British also supported the treaty, and promptly dispatched material aid to the two armies.
150 Years Ago
The Polish rebellions against the Russians were causing concern in Europe in February 1863. Le Moniteur reported parts of the meetings of the Prussian government about the ‘Polish question', which took place around 27 February. The President of the council, Bismarck, had signed an agreement with the Russians a short while before. His opposition, progressive as well as moderate, reproached him for officially permitting Russian soldiers to pursue Polish fugitives on Prussia's border territory. Le Moniteur also reports the British debates on the same subject. Great Britain supported the rebellion, but discreetly, in order not to openly offend the Tsar. However, no motion condemning the actions of the Russians in the Polish territory they were occupying passed.
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Andrew Miles
Historians and web editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N0 659, 22-28 FEBRUARY, 2013
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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 the prolongation of its 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
You can still donate online to the project via the Friends of the Fondation de France in the US here
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MAGAZINE
Just Published
- On the Prussian Infantry 1869, by Theodor May
- Death or Dishonour: the World and Weapons of the Duellist, by Frederick Wilkinson
- Vartan of Nazareth: Missionary and Medical Pioneer in the Nineteenth-century Middle East, by Malcolm Billings
Seen on the web (external links)
- Podcast - a series of lectures about the Napoleonic Wars.
- The Empress Josephine's engagement ring up for sale.
- Video - re-enactments of the Battle of Leipzig.
Press Review
- Los emperadores taumaturgos:curaciones prodigiosas desde Trajano a Napoleón, by Víctor Mínguez Cornelles (in Spanish)
- Animar a Pátria, refutar Napoleão. O Telegrafo Portuguez de Luís de Sequeira Oliva – um periódico patriótico em temposde Invasões Francesas, by Carla da Costa Vieira
(In Portuguese)
- History Today, March 2013 - 'Napoleon's Land Grab'.
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.
Exhibitions
- Napoléon et l'Europe (Napoleon and Europe) [Paris, France 27/03/2013 - 14/07/2013]
- 1813, A Balance - the South of Leipzig in the Year of the Battle of the Nations [Borna, Germany 28/04/2013 - 10/11/2013]
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