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THIS MONTH'S PAINTING
The Battle of Jena, 14 October, 1806, by Horace Vernet
Vernet's 'Bataille d'Iena', so often reproduced in history books, is one of his most popular paintings. No direct representation of the battle (manoeuvres, combat, wounded or killed), simply the picture a leader in action. The viewer attention is drawn to Napoleon on horseback, reviewing Grenadiers standing to attention.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
17 Ventôse, An XI (8 March, 1803), the Gazette de France announced the creation of a Société de statistique (Statistical Society), which was to give public lectures.
In reply to Bonaparte's refusal to allow the British to keep Malta in return for French annexation of Piedmont, King George III wrote a letter to the House of Commons 8 March, 1803, requesting a vote for funds to prepare for the war against France, noting that France had started getting its garrisons in Holland on a war footing.
19 Ventôse, An XI (10 March, 1803), Fourcroy presented the law 'founding' medicine in France before the Corps Législatif. It was passed and it is still active today. Noone was allowed to practice without having previously received the title of doctor. As a temporary measure, in order to provide for the countryside where doctors were scarce, the title of Health Officer or Officier de Santé (with lesser qualifications than those required to be a doctor) was created.
21 Ventôse, An XI (12 March, 1803), Bonaparte, accompanied by Josephine, came at 8-30am to the Hotel de la Monnaie: "he visited all the workshops in that fine establishment and was greatly interested in all the stages in the coin making process. Gold and silver pieces bearing on one side Bonaparte's portrait and on the other the legend 'Le premier consul visite l'hôtel des Monnaies, le 21 ventôse an XI' The First Consul visits the Hotel des Monnaies, 21 Ventôse, An XI) were struck in his presence. These coin medallions are the work of citizen Tiolier, engraver..."
Journal des débats, 22 Ventôse, An XI
22 Ventôse, An XI (13 March, 1803), during the presentation of the Diplomatic Corps at the Tuileries, on that Sunday morning, Bonaparte approached the British Ambassador, Whitworth. Angry because of George III's letter, Napoleon apostrophised Whitworth before the assembled company. Of course Whitworth's and Bonaparte's version of this exchange differ. Whitworth's paints himself as the soul of calm and Bonaparte 'too agitated to make it advisable to prolong the conversation'. Bonaparte (Correspondance, 6636) represents himself as calm and lucid, and proud, with polite words for the the Duchess of Dorset, Whitworth's wife. As Thiers noted, more than 200 people were present, and what was actually said during the exchange soon entered the realm of hearsay. But the result was the same, the Peace of Amiens was in all but name over.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
Snippets
Napoleonic Encylopedia: call for authors!
Journal news
French History, Volume 16, Number 3, September 2002
Just published
- Nineteen-century Germany: Politics, Culture, and Society 1800-1918, by John Breuilly (ed.)
- The Formation of the First German Nation-state 1800-71 (Studies in European History), by John Breuilly
- Austria, Prussia and Germany, 1806-1871 (Seminar Studies in History), by John Breuilly
What's on
- Conference: The British Army 'The dark side of the force'
- Exhibition: Contemporary Paintings relating to Napoleonic Battles, by David Fertig
- Exhibition: Napoleon and Alexander I in Hildesheim (Germany)
- Exhibition: The first Italian Republic, 1802-1805
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: Tactics and experience of battle in the age of Napoleon, by Rory Muir
- This month's picture, The Battle of Jena, 14 October, 1806, by Horace Vernet
- Article of the Month, Napoleon and the Theatre, by Peter Hicks
- In the Collectors Corner, The Prince Impérial and his dog Néro, by Carpeaux
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