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EDITORIAL > HONOUR. NATION. HISTORY
On 30 March, 2015, Professor Jean Tulard of the Institut, presented France's premier medal of recognition, the medal of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, to Thierry Lentz, director of the Fondation Napoléon. For his guidance of the institution and his exceptional list of publications, the honour was well deserved. In his acceptance speech, Thierry Lentz spoke warmly regarding his intellectual affiliations and his journey as a historian. He then recognised his professional and personal acquaintances, underlining the importance of the transmission of knowledge and experience to the younger generations (knowledge of History in this respect, according to the director of the Fondation Napoléon, is more than just a symbol). He also recognised his own sense of responsibility and honour on joining the Order of the Legion d'honneur alongside the three policemen killed by terrorists in France earlier this year, namely, Franck Brinsolaro Ahmed Merabet and Clarissa Jean-Philippe. For him the motto of the Légion d'honneur “Honneur et patrie” (Honour and country), now had a new meaning – to keep working, to carry the torch, and to forget nothing. This March 30, 2015, was a brief moment in time, but it was also one that would endure.
Irène Delage
Chef du service de Documentation
THIERRY LENTZ, CHEVALIER DE LA LÉGION D'HONNEUR
Last Monday, Professor Jean Tulard of the Institut presented Thierry Lentz, the Fondation Napoléon's director, with the medal of Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. The ceremony was held at the Museum of the Legion of Honour (external link), in the presence of numerous personalities (including General Georgelin, Grand Chancelier de la Légion d'honneur, Chancelier de l'Ordre National du Mérite, Monsieur Gabriel de Broglie, Chancelier de l'Institut de France), the President of the Fondation Napoléon, Victor-André Masséna, Prince of Essling, several members of the board of directors, and staff of the Foundation as well as friends and relations of Thierry Lentz. You can read Thierry Lentz's speech here (in French), and see photos of the occasion on our Facebook page.
THE BIBLIOTHÈQUE MARTIAL-LAPEYRE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
The library will be closed exceptionnally all day Friday 10 April.
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BOOK OF THE MONTH > RUSSIAN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF THE 1807 CAMPAIGN by ALEXANDER MIKABERIDZE
After tackling the campaigns of 1812 and 1814, in his new book Alexander Mikaberidze takes a look at the events of 1807 which followed Napoleon's invasion of Poland to prevent the Russians from coming to the aid of their ally. The two battles of Eylau (8 February) and Friedland (14 June) are explored using Russian memoirs, letters and diaries written by some of those involved in the campaign, as is the infamous treaty that followed Napoleon's meeting with Alexander at Tilsit.
Our book of the month in French is ABBADIA, UN MONUMENT IDÉAL by Viviane DELPECH, and Alban GILBERT (photography)
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TWO EXHIBITIONS OPENING THIS WEEK AT THE MUSEE CARNAVALET
NAPOLÉON ET PARIS: RÈVES D'UN CAPITAL (“NAPOLEON AND PARIS: DREAMS OF A CAPITAL”)
Not only was Paris the main political theatre of the Napoleonic era, it was also a major architectural, urban and social concern for the First Consul and Emperor. The purpose of this exhibition is to illustrate the complex relations between Napoleon Bonaparte and the capital. Paris was the place where Napoleon was revealed in his dual identity, as heir of the Enlightenment and as promoter of a new absolutism. The exhibition includes over 400 works, documents, paintings, art objects many of which have been lent by the Fondation Napoléon. (8 April - 30 August, 2015).
CONGRESS OF VIENNA > INVENTION OF A NEW EUROPE
Also at the Musée Carnavalet in Paris, the exhibition 'Le congrès de Vienne 1815, ou l'invention d'une Europe nouvelle' (8 April - 30 July, 2015) organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-curated by the Fondation Napoléon, presents the events of two pivotal years, 1814 and 1815 in Paris and Vienna, marking the end of the Napoleonic era and the emergence of a new Europe. Presented for the first time in public are the Treaties of Paris (May 30, 1814, November 20, 1815) that restored peace between France and the combined European countries, as well as the French copy of the Final Act of the Congress of Vienna.
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ALEXANDER, NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE > EXHIBITION IN AMSTERDAM
28 March, a new exhibition opened at the Hermitage Museum Amsterdam, "Alexander, Napoleon and Josephine, a story of Friendship, War and Art". It tells the story of the First Empire's ambivalent political relationship with Alexander's Russia and the personal links between their respective political heads. It brings together over two hundred artworks, personal possessions, clothes and weapons, including Josephine's own splendid art collection bought by Alexander. The Hermitage in Amsterdam provides an appropriate setting for this exhibition, as many of the soldiers in the Napoleonic army who died during the crossing of the Berezina River came from the Netherlands. Additionally, many paintings of the Dutch masters form part of Josephine's art collection. (photo © State Hemitage Museum St Petersburg).
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EXHIBITIONS > POPE PIUS VII AND NAPOLEON (CHATEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU)
A new exhibition at the Château de Fontainebleau, Pie VII face à Napoléon: la Tiare dans les serres de l'Aigle, explores the relationship between Pope Pius VII and Napoléon. The Pope was held prisoner by Napoleon at the chateau from 1812 to 1814. It brings together 130 objects from the museum's own collection as well as from the Vatican Museums, some never seen before in public, and will last until 29 June.
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SPECIAL WATERLOO COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS
The Belgian post service BPost is issuing a sheet of commemorative stamps (external link) representing the Duke of Wellington, Marshal Blucher, the Prince of Orange, Marshal Ney, and Napoleon. In the background appears “French cavalry charging an English formation” (1875), a Victoria and Albert museum painting by Felix Philippoteaux. 100,000 sheets will be on sale from 1 June 2015 either by mail order or from the temporary office which will be set up on the commemorative site at Waterloo, where 3 unique first-day postmarks (one for each day), will also be issued from 10am – 4 pm on 18, 19 and 20 June, one of which will represent Napoleon's signature as Emperor.
A THIRD DAY OF RE-ENACTMENTS MAY BE ORGANISED AT WATERLOO.
Given the success of pre-sales of tickets for events for the Bicentenary weekend at Waterloo, Waterloo 1815 the association that organizes the event program is considering one more day to accommodate 50 000 more people. (external link in French)
The regular history paragraphs "200 YEARS AGO" and "150 YEARS AGO" have been suspended for a few weeks. But don't worry, they'll be back soon!
Wishing you an excellent Napoleonic week!
Peter Hicks and Rebecca Young (with Syamala Roberts)
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN No. 753, 3 - 9 APRIL, 2015
Interested in the work of the Fondation Napoléon? Why not participate, either generally or in a specific project, by making a donation?
© 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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WATERLOO BICENTENARY 1815-2015
What's on this year relating to the Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo: commemorations, books, exhibitions, news ...
WATERLOO > WHAT'S ON (updated 3/4/15)
WATERLOO > SEEN ON THE WEB (updated 3/4/15)
WATERLOO > READING LIST (updated 3/4/15)
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napoleon.org - related content:
PRESS REVIEW
- Review of Brendan Simms's “The Longest afternoon” on Roanoke.com
JUST PUBLISHED
- WHITE-SPUNNER, Barney, Of Living valour: the story of the soldiers of Waterloo (London, 2015)
- FRANKLIN, John, (Author) EMBLETON, Gerry (Illustrator): Waterloo 1815 (Volume 3): Mont St Jean and Wavre (Campaign) Paperback – (London, June 23, 2015)
WHAT'S ON (see our website for all events)
Talks
- Battle of Waterloo Commemorative Walks in London [21/03/2015 - 20/06/2015]
- Study evening/talk: 'Waterloo 1815-1915-2015, bonds et rebonds de la mémoire' Brussels, Belgium [29/04/2015]
Conferences
- Sixth Wellington Congress 2015 - University of Southampton, UK. [10/04/2015 - 12/04/2015]
- Waterloo 200 Conference at Sandhurst, UK [16/04/2015 - 17/04/2015]
- Conference "L'année 1815", Paris [14/04/2015 - 15/04/2015]
- Oswego International War of 1812 Symposium (New York) [17/04/2015 - 19/04/2015]
- Bicentenary of the battle of Ochiobello Ochiobello, Rovigo, Italy[10-11/04/2015]
Exhibitions
- Napoléon et Paris, rêves d'une capitale: Exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet, Paris [08/04/2015 - 30/08/2015]
- 'Le congrès de Vienne, l'invention d'une Europe nouvelle' at the Musée Carnavalet, Paris, France [08/04/2015 - 30/07/2015]
- Napoléon-Wellington: Destins Croisés: Exhibition at the Wellington Museum, Waterloo, Belgium
[21/03/2015 - 31/07/2015]
- Pie VII face à Napoléon : la Tiare dans les serres de l'Aigle Fontainebleau, FR [28/03/2015 - 29/06/2015]
- 'Alexander, Napoleon and Josephine: a story of war, art and friendship' at the Hermitage, Amsterdam, NL [28/03/2015 - 08/11/2015]
- Modern Heroism: Printmaking and the legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge UK [03/02/2015 - 28/06/2015]
- Photo exhibition: 'Napoleon on St. Helena: Exile and sincerity' Maison Bonaparte, Ajaccio, Corsica [27/03/2015 - 28/06/2015]
- Love Bites: Caricatures by James Gillray [01/04/2015 – 21/06/2015] and 'Great British Drawings' [01/04/2015 - 31/08/2015], both at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford UK
Commemorations
- Living History weekend honouring General Andrew Jackson and the victors of New Orleans - Natchez, Washington, Mississippi [24/04/2015 - 26/04/2015]
- Major Percy victory route (recreated by bike): The Ride of the Lions, Waterloo 200 [17/06/2015 - 20/06/2015]
WATERLOO > WHAT'S ON (updated 3/4/15)
SEEN ON THE WEB (all external links)
- Rare public viewing of flags for which Scots died at Waterloo
- Captain William Siborne's remarkable 1843 model of the Waterloo battlefield to be restored Royal Armouries, Leeds.
- Waterloo (1970), the Movie that used 15,000 real soldiers
- "Has sentimental remembrance met its Waterloo?" Jonathan Jones in the Guardian
- interview with Andrew Roberts author of Napoleon: A Life (pod-cast 28 minutes)
- The Legion of Honour, from Napoleon to now
- How HMS Victory nearly never made it to the Battle of Trafalgar
- What if Napoleon had escaped to America?
- St. Helena Island, South Atlantic Ocean - History Preserved Through Isolation
"WATERLOO" > SEEN ON THE WEB (link to our website, updated 3/4/15)
THE BIBLIOTHÈQUE MARTIAL-LAPEYRE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
The library is normally open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 1pm to 6pm and on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 3pm. The library is closed on Wednesdays and will be closed exceptionnally all day Friday 10 April.
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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