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THIS WEEK'S LETTER
We're ploughing on into January with the second bulletin of the new year. And it has a distinctly 'English' feel. At the top of the list, you will find our painting of the month, which this time is Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, by the English painter Thomas Phillips. To mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Coruña, the desperate Georgian 'Dunkirk' rescue, and the heroic death of Sir John Moore, we have the poem by the Rev. Charles Wolfe, commemorating his burial, as well as details of the battle in 200 years ago. For our UK readers, in particular in the Winchester area, we also direct your attention to a talk on the battle of Coruña which takes place on 19 January: for more details, have a look in our Magazine section on the right-hand side. We also have the latest selection from issue n° 3 of Napoleonica. La Revue as well as two recent site updates: our 150 years ago timeline for 2008, and some new Napo Doc files that have been added to our Kids' Corner section. Bringing up the rear is this week's 150 years ago, which this time is focussed on the French international diplomacy in preparation for the iminent clash with Austria in Italy. You may also have noticed that this week the bulletin is in a more compact form. Click on the hyper-links and you will be taken directly to the item in question. Finally, in the Magazine, we have our most recent book of the month, as well as the major exhibitions taking place at the moment and news from the Fondation. Following up on the Prince d'Essling's editorial last week, we also have in the Press review a BBC article discussing the portrayal of President Sarkozy as the 'new Napoleon'.
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PAINTING OF THE MONTH
Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul by Thomas Phillips
The painting that we are highlighting this week is English painter Thomas Phillips' remarkably intimate portrait of the First Consul. Commissioned by Thomas Erskine, it is was produced during the brief peace of Amiens and deserves to be considered alongside the other great unfinished portrait that exists in the collections, Napoleon by Girodet, from 1808.
Click here for the painting.
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NAPOLEONIC LITERATURE
The Burial of Sir John Moore, 1809
In recognition of the bicentenary of Sir John Moore's death, we have for you this week the poem written by the Rev. Charles Wolfe commemorating the commander's "soldier's" burial in Coruña on the night of 16 January, 1809.
"Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corse to the rampart was hurried;..."
Click here for the poem.
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NAPOLEONICA. LA REVUE
This week's selection from issue n° 3 of Napoleonica. La Revue is the in-depth bibliography on the "affair of the death masks of Napoleon I" by the Fondation's librarian, Chantal Lheureux-Prevot. You can buy the article for 7 €.
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2008 TIMELINE: 150 YEARS AGO
As the second part of our historical recap, this week we have a timeline detailing all the major and minor events of 1858 that appeared in last year's 150 years ago. Find out about the Orsini assassination attempt, the escalating affairs in Italy, as well as the development of a 'greener' Paris and social changes.
Click here for the timeline.
KIDS' CORNER
We have also added two new files on Napoleon's Grande Armée to our 'Napo Doc' section. These files, specifically aimed at our younger readers, are the perfect introduction to important aspects of Napoleonic history.
Click here to take a look.
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200 YEARS AGO
The Battle of Coruna and the death of Sir John Moore
Having finally reached Coruna on 11 January, the evacuation of the British
army was delayed due to the late arrival of the fleet from Vigo. Sir John
Moore and his force of 15,000 men remained to face the advancing French
troops under Soult.
Click here for details of the battle.
150 YEARS AGO
Italian affairs: international community faced with the impending war in Italy
The secret treaty of military and familial alliance signed by Napoleon III and Victor Emmanuel II on 10 December (see Bulletin n° 479) and the familial alliance of the marriage of the Prince Napoleon with Victor Emmanuel's daughter, Clothilde, had cemented Franco-Piedmontese relations. But war in Northern Italy would not involve only Austria.
Click here for the full text.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week,
Peter Hicks and Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 481, 16 - 22 January 2009
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© 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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THE BIBLIOTHEQUE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
Winter opening times:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 1pm-6pm
Thursday: 10am-3pm
(Closed Friday)
THE MAGAZINE
Book of the month
- Tim Voelcker, Admiral Saumarez Versus Napoleon - The Baltic, 1807-12
Fondation Napoléon History Prizes 2008
- Francis and Madeleine Ambrière, Talma, ou l'histoire du théâtre
- Alain Decaux, Coup d'état à l'Elysée
- Edgardo Donati, La Toscana nell'impero napoleonico
News
- Fondation Napoléon Research Grants 2008 announced.
- Baron Gourgaud is made officier of the Légion d'Honneur
Press review
- BBC article: Is Sarkozy the new Napoleon?
WHAT'S ON
Talks
- Sir John Moore and Corunna, Winchester (UK), 19 January, 2009
Exhibitions
- "The Crinoline Empire (1852-1870)", Paris, France [29/11/2008 - 26/04/2009]
Full details
- "The Eagle and the quill: the 'retour des manuscrits'", Paris, France [03/12/2008 - 01/03/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon III and the Romanian principalities", Bucharest, Romania [23/10/2008 - 01/02/2009]
Full details
- "Ben Weider Collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts", Montreal, Canada [Permanent]
Full details
- "Bonaparte and Egypt", Paris, France [14/10/2008 - 29/03/2009]
Full details
- "From Pompei to Malmaison", Rueil-Malmaison, France [22/10/2008 - 26/01/2009]
Full details
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