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THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN n° 709, 11-17 APRIL, 2014
ELBA ON THE HORIZON
Just like two hundred years ago, all eyes are turning to a tiny island in the Tuscan archipelago of the coast of Italy. Elba. In fact, Napoleon's exile there is the only reason anyone's ever heard of the place…
During the coming weekend 3-5 May this year, there'll be re-enactments, concerts, events of various sorts, perhaps even gelato… all commemorating the beginning of the extraordinary three-hundred-day reign.
But what of the history? Pierre Branda, our heritage manager here, has just written a magisterial book on the subject, it is true. But we wouldn't be historians if we didn't think there was more to find out or different ways to interpret those things. People will continue to go over his work and follow up his sources always with the aim of going deeper, getting closer to the story.
In our times of digital renaissance, we are lucky to have a longer and easier reach than our predecessors. And the Fondation Napoléon's digital partnership with the French national library is working in the same direction. The library has digitised the texts and our librarian, Chantal Prevot, has created a bibliography to guide us through the maze - the first of many to come. So now everyone, from wherever they are, can create for themselves their own picture of what went on all those years ago. Call it the democratisation of learning, call the joy of the autodidact, for us it's basically getting to know the Emperor and his story better.
How fantastic is that!
Peter Hicks
Historian and International Relations Manager at the Fondation Napoléon
Comings and Goings...
We are very sad announce the departure of Lucie Louvrier from her position as web editor of the English version of the letter. We have all enjoyed working with her here; but since she moves on to greater, more operatic things (she's also a fantastic mezzo-soprano!), we wish her all the very best.
From next week, as Lucie's successor, we are delighted to welcome to all things Napoleonic, art historian Francesca Whitlum Cooper! Bienvenue!
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FRENCH NATIONAL LIBRARY (BnF) - FONDATION NAPOLÉON PARTNERSHIP
As part of the partnership between French National Library, the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and the Fondation Napoléon, Chantal Prévot, our librarian has created the first of a series of thematic bibliographies, a combination of the vast documentary wealth of the French national digital collection, Gallica and the Fondation Napoleon's Napoleonic knowhow. First bibliography: Napoleon on Elba.
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PAINTING OF THE MONTH > BUST PORTRAIT OF EMPRESS MARIE-LOUISE by Gérard
This lifelike study is probably one of the most authentic that we have of Marie-Louise, depicted here in the full bloom of youth. In contrast to the finish of the face, this sketch reveals a far livelier brushwork than was usual in Gérard's portraits. It is likely that Gérard used this study in his large portrait featuring the Roi de Rome, completed in 1813, in which the empress is also dressed in white, with roses in her hair.
> If you're in France, why not visit the current exhibition of François Gérard's paintings at the Château de Fontainebleau? Lasts until 30 June: "François Gérard (1770-1837) Portraitist".
FONDATION NAPOLÉON CERCLE D'ÉTUDES > JEAN TULARD
Don't miss Jean Tulard's next talk at the Fondation Napoléon, as part of our Cercle d'Études, on "Napoleon and his 40 million subjects" (in French) on 24 April at 5:30pm. Bookings required from 15 April, contact Brigitte Claré (01.56.43.46.00).
INTERVIEW OF PETER HICKS ON THE CZECH RADIO
Peter Hicks, our International Relations Manager, was interviewed (in English) for a historical programme on the Czech Radio, broadcast on Saturday 5 April. He presents the work of the Fondation Napoléon and Napoleonic studies today. Listen to the interview here (18'32 min).
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ELBA
> Commemorations
If you are in Italy, don't miss the commemorations of the bicentenary of Napoleon's presence on Elba! Many exciting events to come, including talks, re-enactments, concerts, balls, markets... You can also check all the updates on the Facebook page of the tourism organisation in charge of the events.
> Trip to Elba
Est'Capade, together with "les Vosges napoléoniennes" and "les Amis du patrimoine napoléonien" are organising a trip to Elba to commemorate the arrival of the Emperor on the island, from 2 to 8 May. Click here for the itinerary, prices, and bookings details.
> Two concerts in Lucca and Elba to celebrate Napoleon
Two Napoleonic concerts will take place in Lucca on 2 May and on Elba on 4 May by the Anglican Church of Paris Choir, St George's, conducted by Peter Hicks, our International Relations Manager here at the Fondation Napoléon, as part of the commemoration of the bicentenary of the Emperor's arrival on Elba.
FONTAINEBLEAU
Before Elba, don't forget that the commemorations are going on this weekend and the next in Fontainebleau! Click here for the full list of events concerning "Les Adieux de Fontainebleau".
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NAPOLEONICA LA REVUE n°18 > William Chew III: "John Quincy Adams: American tourist in Paris, 1815"
John Quincy Adams led the commission of American diplomats who negotiated the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812. Having successfully completed his work, and for the moment unemployed, but waiting for a probable appointment as Minister to the Court of St. James in London, he traveled south to Paris. While in the French capital for some three months during the Spring of 1815, Adams actually took quite a bit of time off to indulge himself in touristic activities. Fortunately for the historian, he has left us what amounts to some 40,000 words of transcribed entries.
200 YEARS AGO > Napoleon poisons himself
In the night of 12 to 13 April, 1814 (we are now certain, thanks to the book Les vingt jours de Fontainebleau, recently published by Thierry Lentz, the Fondation's director), Napoleon tried to commit suicide. It was not the first time he had thought of such things. The ‘little corporal' had written about the temptations of suicide in his youth, and the main character in his novel, Clisson et Eugénie, does indeed hurl himself into the thick of the enemy in order to shorten his days. During the Russian campaign Napoleon had begun to wear a tiny receptacle (about the size of a clove of garlic) around his neck containing poison, to swallow if he was captured by Cossacks or others. On that April night in 1814, the Emperor first wrote to his wife (dated “13 April, 3am”). What happened thereafter was recounted to Saint-Denis, known as Mamluk Ali, by the Valet de Chambre (chamber footman) Hubert. Though the door to the imperial chamber was so almost totally closed, Hubert heard the emperor stirring something into a cup – and he knew that the emperor's sugar basin was not there that night, so it couldn't have been sugar in coffee. “When the Emperor stopped stirring the spoon in the glass, there was a moment's silence, after which the Emperor came to the antichamber door and asked Hubert to call Caulaincourt, Bertrand and the Baron Fain.” The mixture ingested by Napoleon was however not to work. Indeed, apparently even before it had begun to have an effect, the doctor Yvan was asked to administer an emetic. This did however work; “and not without great effort, which tired him greatly, the Emperor vomited up all the deleterious substance he had swallowed.” The men in the room remained there until dawn and until the crisis was over. In between heaving, Napoleon apparently complained “how difficult it was to die” and was even said to have asked Yvan to finish him off. To no avail. Once out of danger, the emperor went down to his private garden and walked with his entourage in the early morning. Napoleon and history still had a great deal more live through…
150 YEARS AGO > AUSTRIAN VOLUNTEERS IN MEXICO
After meeting Napoleon III at the Château de Miramar, then the Pope in Rome, the now official Emperor of Mexico (see Bulletin n° 708), Maximilian I, carried on with his farewell tour of Europe. Whilst relating his last moves before he crossed the ocean, the Moniteur also explained the beginnings of the reorganisation of Mexico under the new Imperial rule of the Habsburg heir. Furthermore, on 12 April, 1864, the newspaper pointed out that Maximilian I was not leaving on his own, but accompanied by a corps of Austrian volunteers. The French government organ also noted the conditions or bait used to lure these volunteers - whether professional soldiers or men taking up the arms on this occasion - to cross the Atlantic. By signing up, these men were committing themselves to a service of six years, and they would receive a bonus of 25 to 50 florins according to their rank. On the completion of these six years in the service of the Emperor of Mexico, they could sign on for more or receive lands in Mexico equivalent to 16 acres. However, the Moniteur did not give any details as to how many Austrian volunteers were in the end tempted by such attractive conditions to leave Europe for Mexico…
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Lucie Louvrier
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 709, 11-17 APRIL, 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
JUST PUBLISHED
- MIKABERIDZE Alexander, The Burning of Moscow, Napoleon's Trial by Fire 1812, Pen and Sword, 2014
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
- Exhibition "Joséphine" at the Luxembourg Museum in Paris [12/03/2014 - 29/06/2014]
- El equipaje del rey José - Une historia de expolio y saqueo, Alava, Spain [17/12/2013 - 13/04/2014] - Closes this week
- Napoléon au bivouac, Ajaccio, Corsica [13/02/2014 - 12/05/2014]
- Bicentenary of Napoleon's Farewell in Fontainebleau, France [05/04/2014 - 20/04/2014]
- Bicentenary of Napoleon's Presence on the Island of Elba, Italy [11/04/2014 - 26/02/2015]
PRESS REVIEW
- 200 Years After Napoleon's French Campaign, An Epic Battle Reenactment at Montmirail
SEEN ON THE WEB
- Re-enactment of the Battle of Montmirail
- Charles Joseph Minard, the Berezina and the power of visualization
- Step-by-step walkthrough of the first great infographic
- "Bonapartist" French remain chary of Anglo-Saxon business trends
- 19th century Volcanic eruption as important as Battle of Waterloo regarding consequences for mankind
- Russia in 1812
- Porcelain breakfast service from Battle of Waterloo
- Exhibition of Political Cartoons from War of 1812
- War of 1812 caricature
- War of 1812 conference on consequences for the native people
- Kids can learn what life was like for them during the War of 1812 through program on April 12 in Canton
- Burning of Ships part of traveling exhibit on the War of 1812 at the Connecticut River Museum
- War of 1812 Dig Underway In Patterson Park To Unearth Fort Citizens Built To Stop The British
- History of Ontario County: Victor and the War of 1812
- War of 1812 City of Macomb celebrates General Macomb
- Heritage Arts Legacy aims to honour War of 1812 veterans
- Student wins prize with War of 1812 essay
- War of 1812 Documentary to be aired on 14, 21, 28 April, 2014
- War of 1812 Study Course
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