| |
|
|
|
|
| |
INTERVIEW
Michel Albertini, scenographer of the Fondation's exhibition, The Treasures of the Fondation Napoléon
THIS MONTH'S PAINTING
General Bonaparte and his chief of staff, general Berthier, at the Battle of Marengo, by Robert LEFEVRE, Carle VERNET, Joseph BOZE
As a taster of the exhibition, 'The Treasures of the Fondation Napoléon' (opening on 28 September), here is a large history painting typical of the genre. Marengo, the iconic victory, which settled the First Consul in his political position at home...
200 YEARS AGO
Napoleon took advantage of his journey on the left bank of the Rhine not only to polish up his image in the provinces but also to see how things were out there. On 25 Fructidor (12 September) he wrote to Cambacérès: "Yesterday I visited Crevelt, and this morning Venloo. This country, both in terms of military fortifications and civil administration, needs looking at."
Correspondence, Letter n° 8017.
27 Fructidor, An XII (14 September, 1804), Napoleon joined the Empress in Cologne - she had arrived the day before. He was to stay until 30 Fructidor (17 September) and during this time he visited the port, the port wharehouses and the fortifications.
15 September, Napoleon in Cologne wrote a letter to the Pope, Pius VII, asking him to come to Paris:
"Most Holy Father, the happy effect upon the morale and character of my people brought about by the re-establishment of the Christian religion leads me to beg Your Holiness to grant me another sign of the interest which he takes in my destiny and in that of this great nation, regarding one of the most important events offered to the annals of the world. I ask you to provide, to the highest degree, the essence of religion at the ceremony of unction and coronation of the first emperor of the French. This ceremony will acquire even greater lustre should it be presided over by Your Holiness himself. It will bring upon my family and my nation the benediction of God, whose decrees rule the destinies of empires and families.
Your Holiness knows the affectionate feelings which I have long borne towards him, and by this he may not fail to appreciate the pleasure which this occasion to offer him a fresh sign of those feelings gives me."
On the same day he asked his Navy Minister, Decrès, "to blockade the coast from the Somme to the Escaut, not allowing any vessel to leave nor permitting any communication with the sea."
Correspondence, Letter 8025
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
© 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THIS WEEK:
Snippets
- Remarkable discovery of new Nelson letters
- Napoleonic caronades fished out of the Adriatic
Just published
- Napoleon's imperial headquarters (1): Organization and personnel, by Ronald Pawly, illustrations by Patrice Courcelle
What's on
- Theatre: The Emperor's last battle, New York, US
- Exhibition: Images of the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon, Paris, France
- Conference: Napoleonic Association, Annual conference, London, UK
- Conference: Napoleonic Society of America, Annual Conference, Washington, US
- Exhibition: Was für ein Theater, Krönungen & Spektakel in napoleonischer Zeit
(What a show! Coronations and pomp in the Napoleonic period), Château d'Arenenberg, Switzerland
- Exhibition: Giovanni Spadolini's passion for Napoleon: a tale of history, politics and culture, Elba, Italy
- Conference: England and Hanover, Cambridge UK
- Exhibition: Napoleon. The Sacre, at the Musée Fesch, Ajaccio
The monthly titles
- This month's book: Fighting Napoleon: Guerillas, Bandits and Adventurers in Spain 1808-1814, by Charles J. Esdaile
- This month's painting: General Bonaparte and his chief of staff, general Berthier, at the Battle of Marengo, by Robert LEFEVRE, Carle VERNET, Joseph BOZE
- This month's article: Napoleon and the theatre, by Peter Hicks
- In the Collectors Corner, Dessert plate from the «Service particulier de l'Empereur» : "Le prytanée de Saint-Cyr" by N.-A. Lebel
<<
|
|
