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HUZZAHS AND DELIGHTS GALORE
After the mutual muggings of last week (see the editorial by Peter Hicks), the time has come take off our hats.
Firstly, without hesitation, to the Musée de l'Armée in Paris for the splendid exhibition "Napoleon on Saint Helena," which opened on Wednesday this week. Over two hundred works (including the restored furniture from Longwood house), brilliantly set out, and a sumptuous catalogue to boot ... what more could you ask for? Well, quite simply, we'd love to see you all there!
Our second “hat's off” is in farewell to Mark and Tamara Capes, the Governor of St Helena and his wife. They have just spent a week with us, gracefully accepting a very full schedule: a reception at the French Ministry of Foreign affairs, the Quai d'Orsay; the inauguration of the exhibition at the Musée de l'Armée; a meeting with the major donors to the "Saving Napoleon's House on St Helena" appeal; a moment's meditation at the Emperor's tomb at Les Invalides; a visit to Ajaccio, Napoleon's birthplace on Corsica, (our thanks to the town of Ajaccio and Philippe Perfettini, director of the Napoleonic collection at the Palais Fesch). These were just a few of the moments of happiness and intensity that we shared in the company of … the successor to Sir Hudson Lowe. Who would ever have thought it?
Our third hat wave goes to the team at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to thank them for the more than five years they have spent working on the restoration and reorganization of the French Domains of Saint Helena. The job is almost finished now, and to the satisfaction of everyone concerned: Longwood House has been restored to its condition of 1821; the furniture will soon be back home; the new management company is more active than ever. Those at the Fondation Napoléon who have participated in this adventure also extend their thanks. Homage especially to Jean-Marie Bruno, Christophe Penot and Graham Paul, the three directors of French Ministry Property that have followed this adventure.
And last but not least, a very heart-felt “huzzah” to the nearly 1700 donors to the St Helena appeal who, through their donations, allowed all this to happen.
The Musée de l'Armée is looking forward to welcoming them all to the exhibition, and indeed all the Napoleonic fans as well as all those who cherish our National memory and indeed and the history of France.
Thierry Lentz
Director of the Fondation Napoléon
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PAINTING OF THE MONTH > THE EXECUTION OF MAXIMILIAN
It was on 1 July 1867, the very day on which Napoleon III and Eugenie were to distribute the prizes at the Exposition Universelle, that Paris learned of the execution of Maximilian, the puppet emperor set on the Mexican throne by Napoleon III. This was the tragic conclusion to Napoleon III's catastrophic Mexican expedition. Edouard Manet, who like many of his contemporaries, was greatly struck by the event, painted this work in 1867 shortly after the execution. The painting which was clearly critical of Napoleon III's foreign policy, would never be exhibited during the Second Empire.
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NEW FONDATION NAPOLEON DIGITAL BIBLIOGRAPHY > THE MEXICAN CAMPAIGN 1861-1867.
As part of the Fondation's partnership with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, our new digital bibliography includes engravings, books, andmemoirs, relating the historical events of the Mexican campaign, its military aspects, the Battle of Camarón, and the Imperial couple, Maximilian and Charlotte. Most of the documents are in French. [Image detail of an engraved portrait of Maximilian]
Find out much more about the Mexican Campaign in our close-up (in English).
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ONLINE > THE PALAIS FESCH AND AJACCIO CITY LIBRARY NAPOLEONIC COLLECTIONS
Just as the Governor of St Helena is rounding off his visit to Ajaccio as we go to press, we'd like to share with you a little secret … you don't even need to go to Corsica to enjoy the Napoleonic collections of the Museum of Fine Arts of Ajaccio: all of its paintings, sculptures, objects and even textiles can be enjoyed online from the comfort of your own home.
The Ajaccio city library has also made available online ten iconic documents chosen from its own Napoleonic collection which contains more than 3,000 books. So the real enthusiasts or researchers might still find a way to justify the trip ... (external links in French). [Image: Bust of Napoleon by Antoine Chaudet, Palais Fesch]
Wishing you an excellent Napoleonic week!
Peter Hicks and Rebecca Young
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN No. 797, 8-14 April 2016
Interested in the work of the Fondation Napoléon? Why not participate, either generally or towards a specific project, by making a donation?
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napoleon.org - related content:
WHATS ON (see our website for all events)
PRESS REVIEW
- Exhibition "Napoleon on St Helena: his fight for his Story" widely talked about in the international press
Exhibitions
- NAPOLÉON À SAINTE-HÉLÈNE. LA CONQUÊTE DE LA MÉMOIRE (Napoleon at St Helena, His fight for his Story), Musée de l'Armée Paris, FR [06/04/2016 - 24/07/2016] NEW
- Napoléon vu par Abel Gance. La séquence corse, Maison Bonaparte, Ajaccio, Corsica [31/03/2016 - 03/07/2016] NEW
- Carrosses à Marmottan, Bibliothèque Marmotton, Paris, FR [23/03/2016 - 30/07/2016]
- Hubert Robert (1733–1808) A Visionary Painter, Musée du Louvre, Paris, FR [09/03/2016 - 30/05/2016]- Easy Virtue. Prostitution in French Art, 1850-1910, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, NL [19/02/2016 - 19/06/2016]
- The art of the superfluous, Paris, the decorative arts and fashion, Archives de Paris, FR [08/02/2016 - 03/06/2016]
- Vigée Le Brun: Woman Artist in Revolutionary France, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA [15/02/2016 - 15/05/2016]
- Franceschini-Pietri, Napoleon III's secretary Palais Fesch, Ajaccio , Corsica [27/11/2015 - 09/05/2016]
Talk
'Sir Joseph Banks in Iceland and the North Atlantic' (Napoleonic Wars) by Anna Agnarsdóttir, Wren Library at Lincoln Cathedral UK [28/04/2016]
Concerts
- Cycle "Napoléon à Sainte-Hélène. A la conquête de la mémoire", Les Invalides, Paris, FR [07/04/2016 - 20/06/2016]
SEEN ON THE WEB
- First jet aircraft to land at St Helena airport
- Through St Helena and high water: reaching tranquility in the South Atlantic - travel story
- The Brand New St Helena Airport Is Amazing
- Canned Food originated with the Napoleonic Wars
- 170 Years Later India Still Hasn't Understood The Corn Laws
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. It is closed on Wednesdays.
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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