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EDITORIAL
Napoleon-free summer holidays?
What do Napoleon fans do during the holidays? Though they may exchange their great coats and hat for Hawaiian shirt and a straw boater, it's often impossible to avoid the little corporal... So why not just submit to your 'inner emperor' and let napoleon.org lead you where you want to go. From books in our summer selection to itineraries (which could be virtual or real!)... failing that you could just wander amongst the hundred or so Napoleonic places, monuments or museums. Or why not take a stroll amongst the pictures and object exhibited in this month's painting or object? And who can forget the fabulous Masterpieces from the Fondation Napoléon Collection? Get to the bottom of a particular issue, with a visit to the close-ups – in this week's letter we present our new close-up on: the Battle of Wagram. And if you're more energetic, you could even cook a summer Napoleonic meal or organise a Napoleonic concert.
Bonnes vacances on napoleon.org!
The napoleon.org Editorial Team
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PAINTING OF THE MONTH
Napoleon, by Jacques Louis David
"The story behind this painting has for a long time intrigued historians of the painter Jacques Louis David. The portrait should be considered in reference to a painting of the Emperor in his imperial robes that David was commissioned to paint in 1805. The painting was destined to hang in the large law courts in Genoa (Italy) and was commissioned by Lebrun, then arch-treasurer, who was preparing for the union of the former Republic of Genoa with the French Empire. Napoleon agreed to the commission in August 1805 and David immediately produced a rough draft..."
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THE AUSTRIAN CAMPAIGN, 1809
A close-up on: the Battle of Wagram
After the setback at Aspern-Essling, Napoleon took six weeks to regroup and to plan how to bring the campaign of 1809 to an end. He had the advantage of possession of the city of Vienna, with its arsenals and stores. This time he took great care crossing the Danube, erecting strong bridges and patrolling them so that they could not be sabotaged. After feinting a repeat of the attack on Aspern, Napoleon dispatched his troops from the eastern edge of the newly christened ‘Napoleon Island' (ex-Lobau), through slashing rain onto the northern shore of the river. The ensuing battle of Wagram, with its emphasis on heavy firepower and massive bludgeoning troop movements, was to last two and a half days. This time the gunnery of General Boudet, the extraordinary skill of the Marshal Masséna and the tenacity of Marshal Davout on the French right were to win the day. Wagram was the largest ever battle to date in human history, with 300,000 men fighting for two days over a twenty-five mile front. Combined losses (deaths, wounded, prisoners, lost) amounted to more than 80,000 men. This was war on a new level.
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NAPOLEON.ORG
A Napoleonic summer
Paris is gearing up for the summer exodus as everyone's thoughts drift ineluctably towards holidays. After last week's summer reading list, packed full of the latest and most interesting books, catalogues, articles and even computer games, the Fondation Napoléon has put together a short selection of events and diversions for you to sample this summer.
Exhibition: Napoleon and Corsica (Corte, Corsica)
Taking place on the island of the famous general's birth, this exhibition and the publication that accompanies sets out for the first time to investigate and retrace the complex relationship between Napoleon and the island of Corsica, as well as the role played by these insular, latin beginnings in the future emperor's destiny.
Exhibition: Napoleon says: Illyria arise! (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
This recently-opened exhibition takes place in Slovenia, in the former capital of the Illyrian Provinces, the client-state that was created in 1809 after the Treaty of Schönbrunn. The distinctly antique image evoked by the title is obvious, and the exhibition explores the influence that the French had on the development of the Slovenian nation and civilisation.
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Exhibition: Napoléon (Philadelphia, USA)
This exhibition offers visitors the rare opportunity to explore the French Emperor's private life through a number of his personal items, as well as some of the most famous depictions of him from the period.
Re-enactment: Znaim 1809 bicentenary re-enactment (Znojmo; Czech Republic)
As part of the bicentenary celebrations taking place across Austria and the Czech Republic this year, the Znaim 1809 re-enactment sees two days of battles and parades to mark the anniversary of the last battle of Napoleon's 1809 Austrian campaign.
Napoleonic walks: Parks and Gardens: Parisian strolls of the Second Empire (Paris, France)
What better way to spend a sunny day in Paris than to take a wander through the various parks, gardens and woods and learn a bit about their history? Most of the capital's green spaces were designed and built during the Second Empire period as Napoleon III worked tirelessly to develop and improve Paris.
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PRESS REVIEW
Napoleon: a fashion icon, 200 years on...
John Galliano, the celebrated British fashion designer, recently presented his new summer collection, which is heavily influenced by the life of Napoleon Bonaparte and his campaigns, as well as the 1927 silent film, Napoléon, by Abel Gance.
JUST PUBLISHED
Napoleon's Medals: victory to the arts
As mentioned last week, readers of the English bulletin have been given the chance to order exclusively-numbered copies of Napoleon's Medals: victory to the arts by Richard A. Todd. Click here to participate in the offer.
200 YEARS AGO
The Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram, which lasted for two and a half days between 4 and 6 July, 1809, redefined 19th century warfare as hundreds of thousands of troops came together in a pitched battle on the Marchfeld plain, on the northern bank of the Danube. Combining devastating heavy artillery and huge numbers of infantry and cavalry, Napoleon emerged victorious over his opposite number, Archduke Charles, but both sides paid a heavy price.
Click here for our close-up on: the Battle of Wagram which provides details of the battle, related images, biographies of the major parties involved and an extended chronology which situates the battle within the wider context of Napoleon's 1809 Austrian campaign.
150 YEARS AGO
Fleury's secret mission
Following the bloody defeat of the Austrians at Solferino and the French entry into Valeggio, preparations to pursue the war with Austria continued apace. Although no orders to move out were issued, munitions and supplies were distributed and troops were inspected. However, profoundly disturbed by the destruction and death witnessed at Solferino, Napoleon III resolved to put an end to the war. On 6 July, General Fleury was charged with the delivery of a letter to the Austrian Emperor, then residing in Verona. The letter set out a suspension of arms between France and Austria that would lead to the armistice. Fleury's mission was to remain secret: no member of the cabinet was involved in Napoleon's decision nor was the Piedmontese government, and Fleury travelled without an escort, accompanied only by his batman, Captain de Verdière.
Francis-Joseph, having received Fleury the very same day, retired for the evening to consider the offer. The next morning, the Austrian emperor accepted the proposition. On 8 July, Austrian representatives along with the Count Morozzo della Rocca, present on behalf of the Piedmontese king, Victor-Emmanuel, met at Villefranca with Maréchal Hess and General Mennsdorf-Pouilly. An immediate suspension of arms, which would last until 15 August, 1859, was agreed. The decision caused consternation amongst the Italians who saw the job as half-finished: although Lombardy was under French control, Venetia remained Austrian. The signature of the Armistice at Villefranca on 11 July, 1859, would lead to Count Cavour's resignation.
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 505, 3 - 9 July, 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
Summer opening times:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 1.30pm-6pm
(Closed Monday and Friday)
THE MAGAZINE
Book of the month
- La Correspondance générale de Napoléon Bonaparte, Volume 6: "Vers le Grand Empire"
Press review
- AFP: Waterloo re-enactment review
- New York Times: Galliano's new collection inspired by Napoleon Bonaparte
Seen on the web (external links)
- John H. Gill's "Thunder on the Danube" Archives
- The History of France in the Age of Revolution: an experiment in participative history-writing
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
WHAT'S ON
Conferences
- Napoleonic Association conference 2009, Southampton (UK), 10 October, 2009
- Australian Napoleonic Congress, Goulburn (Australia), 31 October - 1 November, 2009
Commemorations
- Bicentenary of the Illyrian Provinces
- Haydn 2009
- Bicentennial commemoration of the death of Maréchal Lannes
- French presence in South Africa
Re-enactments
- Znaim 1809 bicentenary re-enactment, Znojmo and Dobšice (Czech Republic), 11-12 July, 2009
- Bivouac and the Battle of Oostmalle, Oostmalle (Belgium), 5-6 September, 2009
Festivals
- Napoleon Festival 2009, Sarzana (Italy), 24-27 September, 2009
Exhibitions
- "Napoleon says: Illyria arise!", Ljubljana, Slovenia [12/05/2009 - 31/10/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon III and Paris", New York, USA [09/06/2009 - 07/09/2009]
Full details
- "Napoléon", Philadelphia, USA [29/05/2009 - 07/09/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon Bonaparte and Egypt: fire and light", Arras, France [16/05/2008 - 19/10/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon. His opponents, his admirers, and the sacrifice", Marchegg, Austria [04/04/2009 - 18/10/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon in Traiskirchen", Möllersdorf, Austria [04/03/2009 - 24/12/2009]
Full details
- "The Satirical Eye: comedy and critique from Hogarth to Daumier", Melbourne, Australia [27/02/2009 - 26/07/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon and Corsica", Corte, France [20/06/2009 - 30/12/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon and Eugenie", Roslyn Harbor, USA [07/06/2009 - 07/09/2009]
Full details
- "Imperial Splendour", Manderen, France [15/03/2009 - 31/08/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon, Commander, Emperor and Genius", Schallaburg, Germany [16/05/2009 - 01/11/2009]
Full details
- "Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828)", Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [29/04/2009 - 05/07/2009]
Full details
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