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THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN n° 697, 17-23 JANUARY, 2014
EDITORIAL
It only takes Eric Anceau eight minutes and twenty-three seconds on a Youtube video to explain – with great verve – the importance of Napoleon III and the Second Empire for the history of France. Our bulletin this week follows in Eric's footsteps. It starts with the oddly topical story (at least in France...) of the Prince and the Actress… Then there's a political caricature displaying all the virulence of the Republican backlash after the fall of the second imperial experiment. And as two French Second Empire history societies join forces to carry forward their study of, and share their enthusiasm for, this key period, we remember (150 years on) France's ill-fated attempt at a ‘regime change' in Mexico, which – mirroring France – there too pitched Republicans against Monarchists in the age-old struggle for order and influence. Heady stuff for this week's bulletin!
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PAINTING OF THE MONTH > MADAME R. OR RACHEL AS CAMILLE
Of all the legendary figures of French theatre, Rachel remains one of the most fascinating. She was to be recognised as the greatest tragedian of the 19th century. It was in the role in which she made her debut, and in which she triumphed on the stage of the Théâtre Français, that of Camille in Corneille's Horace, which the fashionable Second-Empire portrait painter, Edouard-Louis Dubufe, chose to paint her in 1850. A 'femme libre' with a tumultuous private life, Rachel chose her lovers from amongst the highest in political life, notably: the Prince de Joinville, son of Louis-Philippe; the Prince Louis-Napoléon, future Napoleon III...
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EXHIBITION > A TASTE FOR THE THEATRE: FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND EMPIRE, Palais Fesch, Ajaccio, Corsica [19/12/2013 - 21/04/2014]
The Palais Fesch in Ajaccio, Corsica, has made a selection of objects from the collections held there to tell the story of the Bonaparte family and the theatre.
The first part of the exhibition focuses on Napoleon's taste for the theatre and for the actors and actresses he knew.
The second part of the exhibition demonstrates that how this passion ran in the family, by focusing on the theatre under Napoleon III and especially on the very famous actress of the time, 'Mademoiselle Rachel'.
The final concluding part of the exhibition considers theatrical representations of the Bonaparte family and the impact these representations had on the Napoleonic myth.
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FONDATION NAPOLEON PUBLICATIONS
- Les secrets de Napoléon by Pierre Branda (in French)
Despite the many books on the subject, Napoleon remains a multiple enigma. Who was he really? The burden of malevolent gossip about the identity of Napoleon's father; the uncontrollable misogyny of a lovelorn and lovesick man; the continual attention to detail, which became positively obsessive when it came to the Imperial Household; the consummate skill in manipulation and secrecy which made him an idolized and feared leader… Flamboyant, secretive, impetuous, paranoid… Pierre Branda shows the multiple facets of Napoleon the man.
Pierre Branda will sign copies of his book: Les secrets de Napoléon, on Thursday 23 January from 6pm onwards at the Fondation Napoléon in Paris.
- Les vingts jours de Fontainebleau by Thierry Lentz (in French)
Just back from St Helena, Thierry Lentz will present and sign copies of his new book Les vingt jours de Fontainebleau (our Book of the Month for February) on Wednesday 29 January at the Librairie Fontaine Haussman in Paris from 5:30pm onwards.
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FONDATION NAPOLÉON'S CERCLE D'ÉTUDES
Eric Anceau will be our next speaker at the Fondation Napoléon's Cercle d'Études on 30 January 5:30pm. He'll be giving a talk on “Napoleon III's exile and death" (in French). Bookings open on 17 January. Feeling curious about this subject? Watch this Youtube video of Eric Anceau explaining why Napoleon III is interesting to us today (in French).
Follow us on Facebook and be the first ones to receive details regarding our talks in the Cercle d'études!
SECOND EMPIRE CONCERT IN PARIS
If you happen to be in Paris this weekend, don't miss this concert in the famous and beautiful Salle Cortot by the Orchestre Eugénie on Saturday 18 January (external link). They'll be performing a programme entitled "Strasbourg-Paris : Carnets de voyages entre 1848 et 1914", with music linked to Alsace.
NEWS FROM THE NAPOLEONIC WORLD
At the end of 2013, the two major French societies dedicated to the study of the Second Empire merged. Les Amis de Napoléon III and the Académie du Second Empire have become a single society named "Les Amis de Napoléon III - Académie du Second Empire". Gilbert Ameil and Georges Duruy are now president and honorary president, respectively.
The award ceremony of the Prix Napoléon III also took place at the end of 2013, and the prize was given to the books: Le gouvernement impérial et la guerre de Sécession (1861-1865), L'action diplomatique by Stève Sainlaude (ed. L'Harmattan, 2011), and La France du Second Empire, Napoléon III le provincial by Alain Carteret (ed. Soteca, 2012).
TALK ON CARICATURES OF NAPOLEON III
In Vichy on 25 January, 2014, Alain Carteret, author of Vichy, Cité de Napoléon III, will give a talk on "Anti-Napoleon III Caricatures: The Republican Hatred", at 3:30pm.
As a foretaste, see this caricature of Napoleon III as a vulture on our website.
DIGITAL LIBRARY > PHILIPPOTEAU, Le siècle de Napoléon, galerie des illustrations de l'Empire, 1846
Download this volume (in French) with its beautiful gallery of portraits and illustrations of the First Empire. Philippoteau (1815-1884) was a famous painter and pupil of Léon Cogniet. He made his debut at the Salon of 1833, after which his popularity grew rapidly. He was awarded the Légion d'Honneur on 5 July, 1846.
200 YEARS AGO > NAPOLEON LEAVES PARIS
The Emperor devoted the third week of January 1814 to the preparations for the French Campaign. On 20 January, at 11am, Napoleon reviewed several cavalry regiments at the Louvre Carrousel. On 23 January, he received the officers of the National Guards and presented his son to them. He also signed patent letters making Marie-Louise the regent and received the final oaths of allegiance from civil servants. On the following day, 24 January, he appointed Joseph as Lieutenant of the Empire, and gave one final goodbye kiss to his son and his wife before leaving Paris on 25 January at six in the morning and arrived in Châlons late in the evening – he was never to see them again.
150 YEARS AGO > REGIME CHANGE PROCEEDING APACE IN MEXICO
Because of the time lag between Paris and Mexico, news of military events took about 6 weeks to reach the French metropolis. As a result, the Moniteur for Sunday 17 January, 1864, was giving accounts of events which had occurred in early December of the previous year. Reports from the headquarters in Celaya, dated 4 December, and from Vera Cruz, dated 15 December, noted the progress of the French troops and the military preparations in order to bring about the fall of the town of Guadalajara (which finally happened on 5 January, under an attack led by General Bazaine, see our Timeline).
Guadalajara was Mexico's second city and, with 600,000 inhabitants, of great historical, industrial and therefore political importance. It was thus key in terms of the French-led regime change. It fell because its position had become untenable given the occupation of the nearby towns of Valladolid, Salamanca and Leon. The French government organ naturally reported that French troops had been welcomed with enthusiasm by locals everywhere. It also described how militias composed of middling types had been created, the first aim being so that these men could collaborate with French soldiers in ‘defending the people'. The second was so that they could be used as rear-guard troops, holding conquered cities, such as in Valladolid, where General Berriozabal left the city in the hands of a militia before heading towards Zamora.
Possibly giving independent proof of the success of the French Mexican campaign, The Times of London dated 28 December (quoted in the Moniteur of 20 January but reporting on Mexican correspondence dated 9 December) noted that “at the beginning of January, the cities of Guadalajara, San Luis, Aquas Calientes, Morelia and Guanajuato had declared they were in favour of the French intervention. Adding to these the other States already won to the Regency, 7/8th of the total population was then won.”
More about the Mexican French Campaign in the recent news, with Manet's painting of 'The Execution of Maximilian' going on tour in the UK.
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Lucie Louvrier
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 697, 17-23 JANUARY, 2014
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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
RECENTLY PUBLISHED
- Watson, Robert P., America's First Crisis – The War of 1812, SUNY Press, January 2014
- SMITH Digby, Napoleon's German Division in Spain, Volume II: The Germans in Catalonia 1808-1813, London: Ken Trotman Publishing, Casemate UK, 2013
- GLOVER Gareth, Seven Years in the Peninsula: The Memoirs of Private Adam Reed, 47th Lancashire Foot 1806-1817, London: Casemate UK, Ken Trotman Books, 2012
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.
WHAT'S ON
- Talk on the role of Native chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812: "Tecumseh and Conflicting Native Views on the War of 1812" [19/01/2014]
PRESS REVIEW
- "Painting history: Manet on a mission" - The Telegraph
- "Don't politicize war memorials"
SEEN ON THE WEB
- "Waterloo 200: Six key artefacts from the Battle of Waterloo"
- News regarding the Japanese Musical on Napoleon by the famous all-female company, Takarazuka!
- Queen Victoria's passion for photography: Like Napoleon III, Victoria quickly understood the benefits of communicating via photography
- New director at War of 1812 museum
- War of 1812 reenactment: Photos of the Battle of New Orleans
- War of 1812: Baltimore celebrates the Star-Spangled Banner
- War of 1812: Essex (UK) Researchers To Submit Sites For Historic Register
- War of 1812: "James Gill: How the Brits feel about the War of 1812"
- War of 1812: The Chatham-Kent Museum (Canada) is extending the War of 1812 bicentennial for another three months
- War of 1812: "New Mardi Gras krewe resurrects Seahorse"
- War of 1812: "NY peak's name changed to honour War of 1812 hero"
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