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EDITORIAL > SEPTEMBER AND A NEW START…
After a bit or recreation and much hard work, here at the Fondation Napoléon we are delighted to be back in the saddle for a new Napoleonic year. Comfortingly, the Bulletin is here again with its usual cargo of delights, including: the autumn series of the Cercle d'études (plenty of surprises there), the Book of the Month (an up-dated version of Philip Mansel's fundamental work on the Court of the First Empire), and updates not only on napoleon.org but also in Napoleonica.La Revue, including the latest Napoleonic news, other publications, exhibition, talks, and commemorations.
Of particular interest this week is the final report on the campaign to “Save Napoleon's House on St Helena”.
One thing you might notice. The disappearance of ‘200' and ‘150 Years Ago'. This is because we have already for many months now been working several other projects, notably the new institutional website (launched in May this year) and the specifically English-language Facebook page (to match its francophone counterpart!), and most significantly because 2016 should see the opening of a new napoleon.org, almost 20 years after the first page went online (!), and the launch of a new improved Bulletin.
Should be an exciting year! Enjoy your read on Napoleon.org.
Irène Delage
Head of documentation and services for the public
OBITUARY
Over the summer, we learned of the deaths of Stéphane Desrousseaux, a young historian of numismatics and recipient of a Fondation Napoléon research grant for his thesis "Money in circulation during the Napoleonic period”, and Shep Paine, ex-director of the Napoleonic Historical Society and world reknowned modeller. The Fondation Napoléon offers its deepest condolences to their families and all those who knew and loved them.
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RESULTS OF THE APPEAL “SAVE NAPOLEON'S HOUSE ON ST HELENA”
After nearly five years of work, the operation “Save Napoleon's House on St Helena” will be completed within the next few weeks. The generosity of the public has allowed us to extend our action to other urgent necessities in the “Domaines Nationaux” of St Helena. A delegation including a representative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take part in the inauguration of the restored “Domaines” next month. An exhibition entitled Napoléon à Sainte-Hélène will be held at the Musée de l'Armée in Paris (France) from April to July 2016. Find out more about the project in our special report.
CERCLE D'ETUDES LECTURE SERIES AT THE FONDATION NAPOLÉON
The autumn program (in French) for our lecture series is now available. Lectures are usually in French, participation is free, but you must sign up before the relevant date for each lecture as spaces are limited! This week there was a preview screening of L'autre Bonaparte, a documentary about Joseph Bonaparte by Jean-Louis Molho, to be followed next week by Charles-Éloi Vial's talk on "Napoléon, de Waterloo à Sainte-Hélène". This event is already fully booked. The next will be "La diplomatie du Sphinx, Napoléon III et sa politique internationale". You can sign up for this from 16 september.
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BOOK OF THE MONTH > THE EAGLE IN SPLENDOUR: INSIDE THE COURT OF NAPOLEON, BY PHILIP MANSEL
When it was first published in 1987, The Eagle in Splendour aimed “to describe and analyse the Imperial court as a power-base; to stress the ultra-monarchical nature and extreme fragility of the First Empire; and to suggest that the Revolution, far from diminishing the French desire for monarchy and court life, had sharpened it”. In this re-issue Mansel's introduction adds new material…
Our book of the month in French is Les musées de Napoléon III, by Arnaud Bertinet.
BOOK SIGNING > There will be a chance to meet director of the Fondation Napoléon, Thierry Lentz, for the launching of his book Napoléon et la France (Editions Vendémiaire ) on 23 September 5.30-8pm at the Librairie Fontaine Haussman, 50 rue de Laborde, 75008 Paris.
NAPOLEONICA.LA REVUE 21 > PRISONERS OF WAR
We are delighted to announce that as part of the special issue of Napoleonica la Revue no. 21 there are now three new articles online in English (in addition to four previously-published articles), namely:
"Charitable Connections: Transnational Financial Networks and Relief for British Prisoners of War in Napoleonic France, 1803-1814" by Élodie Duché
“The Release of Prisoners of War from Britain in 1813 and 1814” by Paul Chamberlain
“A Long Road Home”: Russian Prisoners in France, 1799-1801” by Eman M. Vovsi.
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EXHIBITIONS > NAPOLEON IS A SUCCESS IN BELGIUM!
As well as the much-mediatised re-enactments on the Belgian battlefields, several exhibitions were held in Belgium to mark the bicentennial of the 1815 campaign. We now have an overview of the number of visitors. The exhibition "Lego Waterloo” tops the list with almost 20,000 visitors, followed by the exhibition "Napoleon-Wellington; Shared Destinies" (co-organized by the Fondation Napoléon) which attracted 14,000 visitors. At Fleurus, 3,000 people visited "Napoleon in the plains of Fleurus" (where several works from the Foundation collection were presented). Last but not least, the exhibition "Napoleon in Charleroi" (works from the private collection of Pierre-Jean Chalençon), received nearly 2,500 visitors. (image AFP/Getty Images).
(Thierry Lentz)
BICENTENARY CELEBRATIONS AT NAPOLEONIC FORT IN EASTBOURNE, UK
Eastbourne's Redoubt Fortress (UK), which was constructed in 1807 as part of the defence of Britain against the planned invasion by Napoleon, will be marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo with a special musical event, plus fireworks, and period re-enactments on 5th September.
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EXHIBITION > DANCING INTO BATTLE: THE DUCHESS OF RICHMOND'S BALL
Often called the “most famous ball in history”, the Duchess of Richmond's Ball was attended by the Duke of Wellington and most of his officers. It was held in Brussels just days before the battle of Waterloo and was interrupted by the arrival of a messenger bringing news of the movement of Napoleon's army. An exhibition at Goodwood House, the home of the Dukes of Richmond, in Sussex (UK), features trophies of war including Napoleon's mahogany campaign chair and breakfast plate which were given to the Duke and Duchess, as well as the painting by Robert Alexander Hillingford (until 11 October, image © Goodwood House). A detailed online feature (external link) explains and illustrates the lives of the Richmonds in Brussels, the context of Napoleon's 100 days, the ball, the battle, and the aftermath.
ARTICLE > “Why the battle of Waterloo began with dancing”
(external link).
BOOK > In his 2008 book Dancing into Battle: A Social History of the Battle of Waterloo Nick Foulkes discusses the battle of Waterloo in the social context of the "expatriates" settled in Brussels.
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LAST DAYS > A DAMNED SERIOUS BUSINESS: WATERLOO 1815, THE BATTLE AND ITS BOOKS
Cambridge University Library's exhibition (UK) of rare archive material relating to the battle of Waterloo is open to the public until 16 September 2015.
Certain exhibits are also viewable online (external link).
CONFERENCE > WATERLOO, 1815: THE BRITISH MONARCHY AND THE DEFEAT OF NAPOLEON
A major international conference will be held on 14 November at Windsor (UK) marking the 200th anniversary of the battle, with debate among the leading British scholars of the period on the battle's origins, conduct, and consequences. Speakers include Roger Knight, Tim Clayton, Brendan Simms, Tim Blanning, and Robert Tombs.
"WATERLOO UNCOVERED" LECTURE
Hosted by Jeremy Paxman at Bonham's London (UK) on 21st September, the Waterloo Uncovered Lecture (external link) is a great opportunity to hear more about an exciting new project that has been set up at Waterloo combining ground-breaking archaeology with veteran care and rehabilitation. This event aims to raise funds for future work.
Our regular paragraphs, "200 years ago" and "150 years ago", have gone into retirement, but will certainly reappear from time to time in the Bulletin on special occasions! In the meantime, Napoleon's journey to St Helena (exactly 200 years ago ...) features frequently on our new Facebook page in English, so why not have a look? There are plenty of interesting posts from this summer.
Wishing you an excellent Napoleonic week!
Peter Hicks and Rebecca Young
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN No. 768, 4 - 10 SEPTEMBER, 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 ...
Follow us on our new English-language Facebook page and on Twitter!
napoleon.org - related content:
JUST PUBLISHED
- Franklin, John, Waterloo: The Struggle for Hougoumont: In the Words of Those Who Witnessed the Events of June 1815 (London, 2015)
- DE DUVE, Catherine, The little WATERLOO (Belgium, 2015)
- [HICKS, Peter (ed.)], The Battle of Waterloo: symbol of victory, of defeat and place of memory (International study days proceedings, Belgium, 2015)
- in French but with English abstracts
PRESS REVIEW
- Review of David Crane's “Went the Day Well”
- Review of Bonaparte 1769-1802, by Patrice Gueniffey, translated by Steven Rendall
WHAT'S ON (see our website for all events)
Conferences
- 'Die Schlacht von Waterloo 1815 und die deutschen Truppen' Bomann-Museum, Celle, Germany [19/09/2015]
- Waterloo, 1815: The British Monarchy and the Defeat of Napoleon Windsor, UK [14/11/2015]
Exhibitions
- Daniel Maclise: The Waterloo Cartoon Royal Academy of Arts (UK) [02/09/2015 - 03/01/2016] NEW
- Dancing into Battle: The Duchess of Richmond's Ball, Goodwood House, Sussex (UK) [03/08/2015 - 11/10/2015] NEW
- Remembering Napoleon Bonaparte, University of Delaware Library, Newark, USA [03/08/2015 - 02/10/2015] NEW
- Switzerland reshaped. From Napoleon to the Congress of Vienna Musée National Suisse in Prangins, Nyon, Switzerland [13/03/2015 - 13/09/2015] LAST DAYS
- Fallen Emperor: Napoleon in Plymouth Sound in 1815, Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, UK [23/05/2015 - 26/09/2015] LAST DAYS
- Pierre-Paul Prud'hon: Napoleon's Draughtsman Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, UK [23/06/2015 - 15/11/2015]
- 'La beauté de la guerre. Waterloo 1815-2015' Bibliothèque Royale, Brussels, Belgium [17/06/2015 - 15/09/2015] LAST DAYS
- 'Waterloo and the March of Science', Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Bath, UK [18/06/2015 - 13/12/2015]
- Braine-L'Alleud 1815: au chevet des blessés, Braine-L'Alleud, Belgium [06/06/2015 - 06/09/2015] LAST DAYS
- '"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] LAST DAYS
- '"A damned serious business": Waterloo 1815, the battle and its books' Cambridge University Library, UK, and online [01/05/2015 - 16/09/2015] LAST DAYS
- '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]
- 'Waterloo 1815 - The Battle for Peace' at Wellington Arch and new display at Apsley House London UK [18/04/2015 - 30/12/2015]
'Alexander, Napoleon and Josephine: a story of war, art and friendship' Hermitage, Amsterdam, The Netherlands [28/03/2015 - 08/11/2015]
- Waterloo, Wellington and Westminster Royal Gallery, Houses of Parliament, London, UK [18/06/2015 - 24/09/2015] LAST DAYS
Festival
- Jane Austin Festival, Bath UK [11-20/09/2015]
SEEN ON THE WEB
- Online army wanted to hunt for untold stories of Waterloo
- Uncle Napoleon syndrome in Iran and Turkey
- The Secret Jewish History of Napoleon Bonaparte
- Napoleon and St. Helena
- Just three years old when he witnessed Battle of Waterloo
- A lock of Napoleon's hair, discovered in a house, has sold for £9,000.
THE BIBLIOTHÈQUE MARTIAL-LAPEYRE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY HOLIDAY OPENING: from Tuesday 7 July to Friday 28 August:
Mondays and Tuesday from 1pm to 5pm and Thursday from 10am to 3pm. Closed: Wednesday and Fridays.
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
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