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THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN n° 720, 27 JUNE-3 JULY, 2014
FIRST LADIES, FIRST FAMILIES
It's not difficult for Napoleonic history to look like a masculine discipline: beyond the life and legend of Bonaparte himself, it's traditionally been the battles and the politics that make the Napoleonic headlines, pursuits that were both, in the nineteenth century, exclusively male domains. But beyond the battlefield and the legislature, there's another side to Napoleonic history that merits our greater attention: if we're thinking about Empire and about dynasty (as Napoleon himself so clearly was), we're also necessarily thinking about family, and it is here that women finally come to the fore. We all know how crucial it was for Napoleon to have an heir – that this was the underlying cause of his ‘separation' from Josephine and remarriage to Marie-Louise – but how much time do we spend thinking about the ways in which these Napoleonic women shaped the imperial destiny? This week, therefore, we propose a number of items that tentatively shift this balance. Our Book of the Month takes the extraordinary life and times of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte (she who rocked the imperial dynastical boat during both the First and Second Empires!); our Summer Series focuses on Marie-Louise and the remarkable museum in Parma (Italy) dedicated entirely to her, the Museo Glauco-Lombardi; and we've a whole section below dedicated to new content about the women of the First Empire – from a new on the site biography and bibliography of Marie Walewska (the founding mother of the dynasty of last remaining direct descendants of Napoleon I), to a new timeline and digital bibliography for Josephine. This is not a call to arms to banish the military, political or masculine from our Napoleonic vocabularies – on the contrary, this week's letter also flags up conferences, study days, exhibitions and awards on more ‘traditional' topics – but we do invite you to take a moment to look at this crucial but less-studied side of the First Empire.
Happy reading!
Francesca Whitlum-Cooper
Web Editor
INTERNATIONAL NAPOLEONIC SOCIETY PRESIDENT APPOINTED A KNIGHT OF THE FRENCH ACADEMIC PALMS
The Fondation Napoléon extends its warm congratulations to J. David Markham, President of the International Napoleonic Society, on being made a Chevalier de l'ordre des palmes académiques (external link) in recognition of his long commitment to the study and promotion of Napoleonic history and culture.
FONDATION NAPOLEON NEWS
> AN UPDATE ON OPERATION ST HELENA - END OF MAJOR WORK ON THE GENERALS' WING OF LONGWOOD HOUSE
The steering committee of the International Appeal to Save Napoleon I's Residence on Saint Helena, which met on 25 June under the chairmanship of Christophe Penot, Director of the French Foreign Ministry's Real Estate Department, heard a report from Michel Jantzen, Chief Architect of the French National Historica Monuments Commission and head of the project to restore the Generals' Wing at Longwood. Mr Jantzen, who had just returned from an onsite visit, reported that the major work had now been completed and announced that this part of the site (the most important part of the restoration work) would be completed in September. Thus, thanks to the generosity of you, our more than 1,700 donors, the Generals' Wing has a new lease of life and is now poised to accommodate conventions, temporary exhibitions and conferences (and even more once the Saint Helena airport opens in June 2016). The rest of the operation continues apace: restoration of furniture, restoration of the Emperor's bathroom, work to upgrade signage... The official inauguration of the newly restored and installed spaces at Longwood will take place on 15 October 2015, on the bicentenary of the Emperor's arrival on Saint Helena. The only task left (touch wood) will be to replace the furniture in its original locations: before that can happen though, pieces will be on display at the Musée de l'Armée in Paris in spring 2016.
> FONDATION NAPOLEON RESEARCH GRANTS - APPLICATIONS OPEN UNTIL 30 SEPTEMBER
Every year the Fondation Napoléon awards research grants to six students in the first year of their PhD on a First or Second Empire subject. Applications close on 30 September and full information can be found here.
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WOMEN OF THE IMPERIAL FAMILY
This week we're turning the spotlight on the women of the imperial family. With two major exhibitions about Josephine about to close in and around Paris (at Malmaison and the Musée du Luxembourg), we've put together a new commentated timeline of the Empress's life in addition to our fantastic digital bibliography, produced in partnership with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. There's also a new biography of Marie Walewska online, with accompanying bibliography which for the first time brings together the major biographical sources concerning the Polish duchess. Marie-Louise forms the focus of our Summer Series below, where we've updated our information about the Museo Glauco-Lombardi – we have some fantastic items in ‘Object of the Month' from the Glauco-Lombardi collection. Not to be left out, we also wanted to nod to Hortense, and remind you that you can read her account of the imperial family yourself in her recently republished memoirs (in French).
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12TH INTERNATIONAL NAPOLEONIC SOCIETY CONGRESS IN CUBA
Between 7 and 11 July, the 12th International Napoleonic Society Congress will take place in Havana, Cuba. This year's Congress, titled “Napoleon and Revolutions around the World”, includes papers in three languages by historians from around the world, a reception at the French ambassador's residence, a gala, visits to the Museo Napoléonico and more. Discover the full programme of events here.
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1814 IN THE UK > EXHIBITION AT THE SIR JOHN SOANE'S MUSEUM
A new exhibition focussed on the events of 1814 has just opened at the Sir John Soane's Museum in London. “Peace Breaks Out! London and Paris in the Summer of 1814” displays over 100 rare pieces which shed light on the role the Treaty of Paris played in nineteenth-century Europe. Works on show include celebratory paintings and prints created to mark the Treaty; drawings of Paris demonstrating the architectural changes that took place under Napoleon's government; Sir John Soane's collection of Napoleonica; and a quirky, satirical depiction of Englishmen visiting Paris, as seen by the French.
> And if you're in the UK, don't forget that the Departments of History and French Studies at the University of Warwick are hosting a one-day conference on 1 July titled “Napoleon's 100 Days: Print, Satire, Song and Theatre.”
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SUMMER SERIES > NAPOLEONIC SITES
This week our summer series takes us to the Museo Glauco-Lombardi in Parma. This museum is devoted to Empress Marie-Louise and holds a prestigious collection of art and objects that once belonged to the Empress and her husband, Napoleon. One of the most visually arresting items is Marie-Louise's ball gown and train, a sumptuous confection in white silk and tulle, but the Museo Glauco-Lombardi also prides itself on the more day-to-day items in its collection, such as Marie-Louise's travel medicine chest. Paintings, watercolours, clocks, jewellery and even Marie-Louise's corbeille de mariage – don't miss this extraordinary collection of Napoleonic relics and First Empire splendours if you're in northern Italy this summer!
LATEST ISSUE OF NAPOLEONICA.LA REVUE
We are delighted to announce the publication of the latest issue of Napoleonica.La Revue, which is specially dedicated to 1814 and the French Campaign. With five articles and a monumental thematic bibliography of over 350 works, this issue and its innovative research put 1814 in the spotlight and promise to revitalise the study of this critical Napoleonic moment. Why not start with Peter Hicks's article in English, 'Napoleon on Elba - An Exile of Consent'...
200 YEARS AGO > CELEBRATING THE 'GLORIOUS PEACE'
After a triumphal procession in London held for Louis XVIII (from Hyde Park to Grillon's Hotel) on 20 April, 1814, the British capital hosted a celebrations for what it called ‘the Glorious Peace'. Czar Alexander, William III of Prussia, the Prince of Liechtenstein and Prince Leopold, generals Blucher, Yorck and von Bulow, Russian military figures such as Platov, Barclay de Tolly, and also Metternich (amongst many others) were all hosted by the Prince Regent in an exceedingly sumptuous manner. Delights during the period 7–28 June included: William III (along with Castlereagh and Lord Liverpool) was made Knight of the Order of the Garter (9 June); the honoured guests were treated to a horse race at Ascot (10 June) and an opera at Covent Garden (11 June); Alexander, William and Blucher were to receive honorary degrees from the University of Oxford (15 June); there were also formal dinners in the City of London (16 and 18 June – the latter costing a massive £25,000); the victors were also treated to a troop review and a re-enactment of Trafalgar (20 June). Before setting sail once again for France, they all took part in a naval review in Portsmouth on 22 June.
150 YEARS AGO > COMINGS AND GOINGS FROM MEXICO
Once again, regime change in Mexico occupied a prominent place in the Moniteur for the week of 27 June–3 July 1864. On 1 July, the Second Empire's official newspaper published a set of documents which had just arrived by ship from Mexico, detailing Emperor Maximilian's appointment on 1 April of General D. Juan N. Almonte as ‘my lieutenant in the government of the Empire' until he himself arrived on Mexican soil. Almonte had addressed his countrymen in ‘elevated and conciliatory language', naming France ‘our protector and our friend' to what the Moniteur described as ‘universal approval.' These documents, however, were not the only things arriving from Mexico that week: on 1 July Napoleon confirmed the nominations awarding the Legion d'Honneur to soldiers who had fought in the Mexican Campaign, while the Moniteur of 2 July gave a detailed account of the celebrations held for the first regiment to return from Mexico. At 8 o'clock in the morning on 24 June, some 210 returning officers and soldiers had paraded through Versailles, carrying with them two pieces of a cannon seized from the enemy as well as a Mexican flag. Medals commemorating the Mexican Campaign were distributed, and at 4 o'clock a banquet was held for the soldiers. At 6 o'clock a table was laid for 100 officers and dignitaries, who raised many toasts to the Emperor, the Empress, the Prince Imperial, the Mexican army and the artillery of the Imperial Guard. Punch was served and accompanied by ‘the most dazzling pieces' of regimental music. The Moniteur concluded that the celebrations ‘had nobly inaugurated the return of part of our brave army from Mexico.'
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Francesca Whitlum-Cooper
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 720, 27 JUNE-3 JULY, 2014
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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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EVENTS
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 FINAL DAYS!! [12/03/2014 - 29/06/2014]
- François Gérard (1770-1837), Portraitist, at the château de Fontainebleau FINAL DAYS!! [29/03/2014 - 30/06/2014]
- The War of 1812-14: People and Places at the RiverBrink Art Museum (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada) [22/03/2014 - 07/02/2015]
- "Josephine, her Passion for Birds and Flowers" - Exhibition at Malmaison FINAL DAYS!! [02/04/2014 - 30/06/2014]
- Guided Walks around Napoleon's Elba [21/04/2014 - 08/10/2014]
- "1814, la C(h)ampagne de Napoléon" - Exhibition in Troyes [16/05/2014 - 02/11/2014]
- Peace Breaks Out! London and Paris in the summer of 1814 [20/06/2014 - 13/09/2014]
PRESS REVIEW
- Gordon Corrigan's Waterloo: A New History of the Battle and its Armies, reviewed by David Crane
JUST PUBLISHED
- DENNISON, Matthew, Queen Victoria: A Life of Contradictions (London: St Martin's Press, 2014)
SEEN ON THE WEB
- Bonaparte's cannons found by dive team in Alexandria
- 24 June 1812 – Napoleon's Grand Army invades Russia
- Call to protect Trafalgar hero James Eaton's Sandwell home
WAR OF 1812
- Haunted stamp series includes nod to Fort George's eerie past
- Star-Spangled Banner Historic Trail follows War of 1812 battles
- Calvert celebrates 1812 anniversary
- Cape Vincent celebrates its part of the War of 1812
- Deck replica of famed privateering schooner unveiled in Liverpool
- For War of 1812 events, the key is spicing up a ‘boring' subject
THE BIBLIOTHÈQUE MARTIAL-LAPEYRE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
Between 30 June and 29 August, the library will operate its summer opening hours: Mondays and Tuesdays between 1pm-5pm and Thursdays 10am-3pm.
Online database catalogue
Digital Library
Contact
NAPOLEONICA LES ARCHIVES
Site of digitised Napoleonic archival material:
The working papers or 'imprimés' of the Napoleonic Conseil d'Etat, the correspondence of Vivant Denon, etc.
http://www.napoleonica.org
Contact: napoleonica@napoleon.org
NAPOLEONICA. LA REVUE
International peer-review interdisciplinary e-review on the history of the two Empires, bilingual French-English, 3 issues per year, free access.
Read the review on Cairn.info
Contact: napoleonicalarevue@napoleon.org
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