| |
| |
THIS WEEK'S LETTER...
We kick off this week's letter with information about the fascinating new exhibition on Napoleon and Egypt currently at the Institut du Monde Arabe. This is a wonderful opportunity to find out more about Napoleon's Egyptian campaign and the scientific expedition that accompanied him, as well as the close-relationship that grew out of French involvement in the country. The Fondation Napoleon's beautiful Egyptian tea-service (on loan to the exhibition) is this month's objet d'art. On a sadder note, the Fondation also learned that the historian and patron of the arts Ben Weider, an important figure in the Napoleonic world, passed away last Friday, just a week before the scheduled opening of a new exhibition displaying items from his collection. The exhibition opening will go ahead as planned and takes place at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. You will find below an obituary written by Thierry Lentz and information on the exhibition. 200 years ago sees the arrival of some fabulous antiquities at the Musée Napoléon, and in 150 years ago, the Moniteur Universel is surprised by the low water levels of the Seine. In our magazine column, we remind you of our October book of the month and direct you towards Michael Leggiere's short-listed book for the Grand Prix and Jacques-Olivier Boudon's new work on order and disorder in Napoleonic France. The press review this week has the new Jerome Napoleon and Westphalia exhibition catalogue and review of an interesting book on vaccination in the British Isles. Finally, you'll also find all the information and links regarding conferences, exhibitions and film festivals that are taking place now and in the next few months.
|
|
|
| |
THIS MONTH'S OBJET D'ART
A Sèvres Manufactory 'Cabaret Egyptien'
Part of an Egyptian tea service, composed of a teapot and nine teacups and saucers in the "Denon-Etruscan form", this "Cabaret égyptien" is beautifully finished in ornate gold decoration and bears exquisite vignettes of Egypt, based on engravings made by Vivant Denon and published in his Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Egypte.
Click here for more information.
|
|
|
| |
WHAT'S ON
Bonaparte and Egypt
The Institut du Monde Arabe is holding a grand exhibition dedicated to Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt. As well as detailing the events, battles and difficulties faced by the French troops and the expedition that accompanied the campaign, the exhibition also throws light on the mutual fascination that both countries held for one another, a relationship that would leave its mark on their respective histories during the 19th century. With over 350 works, including many rarely or indeed never before seen by the public, this exhibition presents a wonderful opportunity to become acquainted with this fascinating period in French and Egyptian history.
Click here for Elodie Lerner's article on the exhibition, and click here for further details.
|
|
|
| |
WHAT'S ON
Gift of the Ben Weider Collection to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts inaugurates its new permanent galleries devoted to Napoleon and the arts under the First Empire, thanks to a major gift: the collection of works assembled by the late Ben Weider. The exhibition brings together more than 100 objects and works related to the arts under the First Empire, as well as unveiling other donations and loans related to the period.
Click here for more information.
|
|
|
| |
NAPOLEONICA. LA REVUE
To give you a break from all that French reading of the last issue, this week we are proposing an article by Peter Hicks entitled Napoleon, Tilsit, Copenhagen, and Portugal. The best way to read it and indeed all of the articles in Napoleonica. La Revue is to take out an annual subscription for the very reasonable sum of 70 €. If you just fancy reading a single article, however, then you can purchase them individually for 7 € each. And don't forget that all the articles from Issue N° 1 are still available online as well.
|
|
|
| |
OBITUARY
Ben Weider
The Canadian historian and patron of the arts passed away last Friday, at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. He was 84.
Ben Weider was born in Quebec in 1924, and dedicated his life to his two passions: sport (he made his fortune in the creation and commercialisation of training and gym equipment) and, of course, Napoleonic history. The latter owes him much, for it is through his patronage that the Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution at Florida State University in Tallahassee was created, over thirty years ago. Directed initially by Professor Don Howard, and presently by Professor Rafe Blaufarb, this establishment has produced over 70 PhD scholars. This discreet but nevertheless important act is less well-known than his tireless work on the Napoleon poisoning theory, to which he dedicated much of his time and means. During his life, he also built up a fabulous collection of Napoleonic artefacts and objects, a collection which he has left to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The permanent exhibition displaying objects from this donation opens this week.
We at the Fondation Napoléon offer our sincere condolences to his wife, his family and his many close friends, in the Napoleonic world and elsewhere.
Thierry Lentz
Director, Fondation Napoléon
200 YEARS AGO
On 25 October 1808, Napoleon visited the Musée Napoléon (today the Louvre) to admire the masterpieces on display that had been donated from the Villa Borghese in Rome by Prince Borghese, the Emperor's brother-in-law (husband of Pauline). "These masterpieces were transported overland to Paris at great expense and not without several damages. They are on display in the sculpture rooms at the Musée Napoléon." (Journal by Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, 1799-1853, Vol. 1, 1987).
"The first batch of antiquities from the Villa Borghese arrived in Paris a fortnight ago. A second batch, even greater this time, is at this very moment travelling up the interior canals, and is expected in the course of the next month. His Excellency the minister of the interior has put in place a number of precautions to be taken in order that these precious monuments are preserved intact...The first batch took no longer than two and a half months to arrive, which appears extraordinary considering that in crossing the Alps with such heavy carts, it was necessary, even on the lower mountains, to attach twelve to fifteen pairs of oxen." (Le Journal de l'Empire, 26 October 1808)
27 October 1808: "The Emperor left again for Spain. The Empress will accompany him as far as Rambouillet and then return to Paris. She will reside at the Palais de l'Elysée during the Emperor's absence, which will be, it is believed, in the course of this December coming." (Journal by Pierre François Léonard Fontaine, 1799-1853, vol. 1, 1987)
Joséphine, unhappy at the standard of her apartments, was to leave the Palais de l'Elysée on 4 December to return to the Palais des Tuileries.
150 YEARS AGO
Paris
"We cannot remember having had an October during which the waters of the Seine were as low as they are at this time. There is not a bridge in Paris which is not showing its pillar notches, and in many places where the water would ordinarily be at a height of several metres, the river-bed is distinctly evident [...] Thus extraordinary dredging and improvement works are being carried out, which would normally be finished by this time." (Moniteur universel, 25 October 1858)
Wishing you the very best "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Hamish Davey Wright
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 471, 24 - 30 October, 2008
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE BIBLIOTHEQUE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
Half-term opening times: From Monday 27 October to Thursday 6 November 2008, the library will be open:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
1.30 pm - 6 pm
THE MAGAZINE
October's book of the month
- Emmanuel de Waresquiel, Les Cent-jours ou la tentation de l'impossible
Just published
- Jacques-Olivier Boudon, Ordre et désordre dans la France napoléonienne
- Michael J. Leggiere, The Fall of Napoleon: Volume 1, The Allied Invasion of France, 1813–1814
- Paul Strathern, Napoleon in Egypt
Press Review
- IHR book review: The Politics of Vaccination: Practice and Policy in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland
- Exhibition catalogue: Jérôme Napoléon, roi de Westphalie
WHAT'S ON
Conferences
- "Das Zweite Kaiserreich, die verkannte Blütezeit Frankreichs", Arenenberg (Germany), 30 October, 2008
- Portugal, Brazil and Napoleonic Europe, Lisbon (Portugal) from 4 to 6 December, 2008
Film
- Centro Romano di Studi Napoleonici: Napoleonic film week 2008, Rome (Italy) from 11 to 14 November, 2008
Exhibitions
- "Ben Weider Collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts", Montreal, Canada [Permanent]
Full details
- "Napoleon Bonaparte and Egypt", Paris, France [14/10/2008 - 29/03/2009]
Full details
- "Between the dagger and the cross", Paris, France [21/10/2008 - 11/01/2009]
Full details
- "From Pompei to Malmaison", Rueil-Malmaison, France [22/10/2008 - 26/01/2009]
Full details
- "Jerome Napoleon, king of Westphalia", Fontainebleau, France [10/10/2008 - 08/01/2009]
Full details
- "Paper Landscapes, a celebration of Napoleonic cartography", La Spezia, Italy [04/10/2008 - 11/01/2009]
Full details
- "Fine people. Luxury and Fashion at the Time of the Empire", Erfurt, Germany [14/09/2008 - 11/01/2009]
Full details
- "Spectacle of Power. Rituals in Old Europe 800-1800", Magdeburg, Germany [23/09/2008 - 04/01/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleonic side-arms of the Rocca d'Acquaviva", Acquaviva Picena, Italy [04/10/2008 - 31/12/2008]
Full details
<<
|
|
