| |
| |
EDITORIAL > LARGER THAN LIFE
A scarily accurate «Napoleon (who still 200 year on keeps stealing the show from Wellington…), a courageous and excellent «Marshal Ney» (who unfortunately was seriously wounded in a fall during the re-enactment), more than 160,000 spectators from the world over during the three days of re-enactment and son et lumière, 30,000 visitors to the bivouacs, 6,000 re-enactors, 360 horses, 100 cannon, the Lion Mound covered with hundreds of bystanders trying to catch a glimpse of the proceedings… Waterloo 2015!
But beyond the statistics – which made it nevertheless the largest Napoleonic re-enactment ever organised in Europe -, it was an unforgettable experience. It is true, the commentary to the re-enactment on the first night left much to be desired, and on the second night viewers in the stands had their vision impeded by cannon and musket smoke (but that at least was historically accurate), however overall, the general feeling was ‘I wouldn't have missed it for the world'. And there was the official side of the affair too, with the Belgian King and some (though not all…) heads of state, the encounter between the descendants of the protagonists (a Blucher, a member of the Belgian Royal Family, a Napoleon and a Wellington), and official speeches filled with talk of European peace and reconciliation.
What else could the event have been, other than a powerful history lesson?
And yet, of the many thousands who helped make the event happen, a special mention should be made of the Director of the ASBL Bataille de Waterloo 1815, Etienne Claude, also director of the Musée Wellington with the excellent exhibition Napoléon Wellington [...] Shared Destinies which remains open until 31 July. Bravo!
Irène Delage
Head of Service
|
|
|
| |
NAPOLEONICA. LA REVUE > NEW ISSUE ON LINE NOW!
The issue of Napoleonica La Revue just out is a ‘Special' on prisoners of war during the period of Napoleon I. Guest-edited by François Houdecek of the Fondation Napoléon and Alexander Mikaberidze of Louisiana State University at Shreveport, the articles address matters related to Russian and Austrian prisoners after Austerlitz, French prisoners in Russia after the invasion of 1812, and French prisoners in Spain (not forgetting French POWS in Britain, detailed in articles which appeared in earlier issues of Napoleonica La Revue). With two articles in French and two in English, there's plenty to get your teeth into. Enjoy your read!
THE BIBLIOTHÈQUE MARTIAL-LAPEYRE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED EXCEPTIONALLY ON MONDAY 6 JULY.
|
|
|
| |
BOOK OF THE MONTH > "JUNE 1815: THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE" BY ALASTAIR WHITE AND MARC FASOL
Alaistair White, member of the International Napoleonic Society and battlefield guide has teamed up with Marc Fasol, a Belgian journalist, lecturer and photographer, to produce this beautiful photographic narrative of the Belgian Campaign. Fasol's images of Napoleonic re-enactments set the scene and are interwoven with White's text (set alongside Fasol's French translations) thus making the book a perfect chance to brush up your French! So why not add it to your Summer reading list?
And our French Book of the month is ET SI NAPOLÉON AVAIT GAGNÉ WATERLOO? by Antoine Reverchon.
|
|
|
| |
FOCUS > WOMEN AND WATERLOO
As Katherine Astbury has pointed out in a recent article (external link) for The Conversation, despite Waterloo being a predominantly male affair, women also had their part to play. As many as 4,000 women (reportedly) accompanied the British army, and sometimes whole families would travel together. Many would provide food and sustenance on the battlefield, others, dressed as men, even fought. And just as importantly, many women's accounts of the events have been invaluable to historians. We've put together a reading selection, including some first-hand contemporary accounts to enable a better understanding of the roles women played both in the battle of Waterloo and in the writing of the battle.
TALK > THE WOMEN OF WATERLOO
Dr Catriona Kennedy will be giving a talk on the subject of "The Women of Waterloo: From Ballroom to Battlefield" at the Army & Navy Club, London, on 23 July.
|
|
|
| |
EXHIBITION > PRUD'HON: NAPOLEON'S DRAUGHTSMAN, LONDON (UK)
The Dulwich Picture Gallery in London (UK) will be displaying 13 drawings by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823) from 23 June until 15 November 2015, in the first UK exhibition devotes to one of Napoleon's favourite artists. The exhibition focuses on his life-studies. Popular with both of Napoleon's wives, Prud'hon brought a softer more Romantic touch to the climate of Classical austerity and realised several portraits of the Imperial family. There will also be a series of life drawing classes, and two lectures (7 and 14 July).
WATERLOO GAMES
Several new games have been produced to coïncide with the Bicentenary of Waterloo, Here are a few we've selected for you: There are three board games:
Waterloo and Les Quatre Bras 1815 (available in English or French), Stratego Waterloo, Waterloo – Quelle Affaire! (soon to appear) and finally a video game: Scourge of War: Waterloo (external links).
WATERLOO > ONLINE RESSOURCES
Waterloo descendants now have their own online book where they can share their histories, and the Waterloo Database provides information on each of the 30,500 British combatants who saw action during the Waterloo campaign of 1815. (external links)
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
THE ROAD TO EXILE > RE-ENACTMENTS
The Belgian campaign came to an end with the bicentenary of the Battle of Wavre (18-19th June) which will be commemorated in Wavre during the first week of July (external link in French). Let's have a look at the rest of Napoleon's journey ...
> Napoleon made a stop in Niort on 1 July 1815, before continuing his journey to Rochefort (see below "200 years ago"). A bivouac will be organised during the weekend of 27-28 June at the parc de Pré-Leroy.
> Bicentenary in Rochefort / Fouras-les-Bains / Île d'Aix. Despite the fact that the Maison du Roy, where the Emperor lived in Rochefort, can only be visited on rare occasions (it is actually part of the French national police force school), his residence on the island of Aix, which became the National Napoleonic Museum, can be visited all year round. To celebrate the bicentenary of Napoleon's last stay on French soil, Fouras-les-Bains and the island of Aix are organising re-enactements in the presence of the Emperor, as well as bivouacs, the unveiling of a new monument and fireworks. (Full Programme, external link in French).
200 YEARS AGO> NAPOLEON DEPARTS FOR ROCHEFORT
During the few days Napoleon stayed at the Château de Malmaison, awaiting his fate and toying with the idea of a voluntary exile to England and then to the United States, the interim Executive Commission that had been governing France since his abdication on 22 June, (see previous letter) was hesitating as to how to proceed. Fouché, in particular, feared that Napoleon would attempt another coup d'état (Paris was holding its breath), but he also hated the idea that the Prussians, who were getting dangerously close to Malmaison, might capture him. Finally, on 29 June, Napoleon left Malmaison for Rochefort. Arriving on 3rd July, he moved into a residence called La Maison du Roy, which was at that time the Préfecture Maritime, where the waiting game continued ...
Wishing you an excellent Napoleonic week!
Peter Hicks and Rebecca Young
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN No. 765, 26 JUNE - 2 JULY, 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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 26/6/15)
WATERLOO > SEEN ON THE WEB (updated 26/6/15)
WATERLOO > READING LIST (updated 26/6/15)
Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter!
napoleon.org - related content:
JUST PUBLISHED
- MICHAELIS Richard (ed.), SCOTT Walter, The Life of Napoleon Buonaparte: Emperor of the French (new paperback edition)
WHAT'S ON (see our website for all events)
Talks
- 'Ghosts of 1812: "That Fatal Pasage" at Beresina: The French invasion of Russia and retreat from Moscow' Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, Australia [08/07/2015]
- 'Hard Pounding Gentlemen!': the Tactics of Waterloo' by Professor Charles Esdaile, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, UK [8/07/2015]
- 'Shocking Sights of Woe: David Wilkie, Charles Bell and the Battle of Waterloo' - a NAM talk by Prof Philip Shaw Army and Navy Club, London, UK [09/07/2015]
- 'The Women of Waterloo: From Ballroom to Battlefield' - a NAM talk by Dr Catriona Kennedy Army and Navy Club, London, UK [23/07/2015]
- 'Commemorating Waterloo 1815-2015', by Dr Russ Foster, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham, UK [05/08/2015]
Conferences
- 'Popular Reactions and State Responses to the 100 Days' University of Warwick, UK [07/07/2015]
- Endings and Beginnings: The World in 1815, Brussels, Belgium [06/07/2015 - 10/07/2015]
- 'Die Schlacht von Waterloo 1815 und die deutschen Truppen' Bomann-Museum, Celle, Germany [19/09/2015]
Exhibitions
- Pierre-Paul Prud'hon: Napoleon's Draughtsman Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, UK [23/06/2015 - 15/11/2015] NEW
- Napoleon: Antiquity to Empire, Gallery Robilant-Voena London, UK [18/06/2015 - 30/07/2015] NEW
- Napoleon's Last Gamble: Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo and the Legacy of the Napoleonic Wars in Australia, Pine Rivers Heritage Museum, Australia [01/05/2015 -12/07/2015] LAST DAYS
- 'La beauté de la guerre. Waterloo 1815-2015' Bibliothèque Royale, Brussels, Belgium [17/06/2015 - 15/09/2015]
- 'Waterloo and the March of Science', Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Bath, UK [18/06/2015 - 13/12/2015]
- 'Unseen Waterloo: The Conflict Revisited', Somerset House London UK [12/06/2015 - 30/08/2015]
- Braine-L'Alleud 1815: au chevet des blessés, Braine-L'Alleud, Belgium [06/06/2015 - 06/09/2015]
- 'Immer wieder Napoleon...!' (Napoleon in film), Bomann-Museum Celle, Germany [07/06/2015 - 30/08/2015]
- '"Victory Sir, Victory!" Henry Percy and the Battle of Waterloo, 1815', Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, UK [18/05/2015 - 30/10/2015]
- Charging against Napoleon - Wellington's campaigns in the Peninsular Wars and at Waterloo University of Nottingham, UK [22/05/2015 - 06/09/2015]
- 'Waterloo 1815: The Art of Battle' Royal Armouries Museum Leeds, UK [22/05/2015 - 23/08/2015]
- 'Napoléon dans les plaines de Fleurus' Château de la Paix, Fleurus, Belgium [22/05/2015 - 02/08/2015]
- '"A damned serious business": Waterloo 1815, the battle and its books' Cambridge University Library, UK, and online [01/05/2015 - 16/09/2015]
- 'Wellington and Waterloo: "the tale is in every Englishman's mouth"' University of Southampton Library, UK [13 April -19 June and 13-24 July 2015]
- 'The Road to Waterloo' and ‘Waterloo Lives' Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen, Scotland [03/02/2015 - 28/11/2015]
- 'Waterloo' at the Bomann-Museum, Celle, Germany [02/04/2015 - 11/10/2015]
- 'Napoleon und Bayern' Bayerisches Armeemuseum, Ingolstadt, Germany [30/04/2015 - 30/10/2015]
- 'Napoléon Ier ou la légende des Arts, 1800 –1815' Compiègne, France [24/04/2015 - 27/07/2015]
- 'Waterloo 1815 - The Battle for Peace' at Wellington Arch and new display at Apsley House London UK [18/04/2015 - 30/12/2015]
- 'Napoléon et Paris, rêves d'une capitale' Musée Carnavalet, Paris [08/04/2015 - 30/08/2015]
- 'Le congrès de Vienne, l'invention d'une Europe nouvelle' Musée Carnavalet, Paris, France [08/04/2015 - 30/07/2015]
- 'Napoléon-Wellington: Destins Croisés' Wellington Museum, Waterloo, Belgium [21/03/2015 - 31/07/2015]
- Waterloo 1815-2015: Visions of war' Bibliothèque Paul Marmotton, Paris, France [15/04/2015 - 11/07/2015]
- 'Pie VII face à Napoléon: la Tiare dans les serres de l'Aigle' Fontainebleau, France [28/03/2015 - 29/06/2015] LAST DAYS
- 'Alexander, Napoleon and Josephine: a story of war, art and friendship' Hermitage, Amsterdam, The Netherlands [28/03/2015 - 08/11/2015]
- 'Modern Heroism: Printmaking and the legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte' Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge UK [03/02/2015 - 28/06/2015] LAST DAYS
Re-enactments
- 300 Borders horses and riders for Waterloo re-enactment, Penielheugh, Scotland, [28/6/2015] (external link)
WATERLOO > WHAT'S ON (updated 26/6/15)
SEEN ON THE WEB (all external links)
- What if Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo
- Account of the victory at the Battle of Waterloo published in the Times 22 June 1815 (video)
- Battle Of Waterloo Replayed In Full Glory (video)
"WATERLOO" > SEEN ON THE WEB (link to our website, updated 26/6/15)
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.
THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED EXCEPTIONALLY ON MONDAY 6 JULY.
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
The Fondation Napoléon's Institutional website:
www.fondationnapoleon.org
ACCOUNT DETAILS
To change your email address, unsubscribe, and sign up for the French information bulletin.
Problems with a link in this letter?
- Check the homepage on: http://www.napoleon.org/en/home.asp
- View back numbers of the bulletin: http://www.napoleon.org/en/space/information_bulletin/archive_lettre.asp
- Contact us: information@napoleon.org
|
|
