| |
| |
Everyone to the Musée de l'Armée!
The Musée de l'Armée is once again open to the public in its entirety. This is of particular interest to the Napoleonists amongst us as the "Modern" wing, the last to be renovated, includes the sections dedicated to the two French Empires. You can make up your own mind on the results the next time you visit. And although they're bound to cause a stir between traditionalists and those of the modern school of museology, whatever your thoughts, the new displays will not fail to stimulate interest. Things to see, things to learn, maybe even things to relearn.
This reopening brings to a close (almost) the ATHENA project which has, between 2003 and 2010, completely renovated the exhibition halls and spaces at the Musée de l'Armée.
Such dedicated attention to these priceless Napoleonic collections deserves rich applause, and regular readers of this letter will know only too well how important the museum is to us here at the Fondation Napoléon. And so with a doff of our hats (made, obviously, by Poupart), we acknowledge the work completed by all the teams involved over the years, under the direction of General Robert Bresse. With our hats firmly back upon our heads, we should also point out the involvement of various members of the Fondation Napoléon and its collaborators, who have all, at one point or another, participated in this lengthy and historic project. The Director of the Musée de l'Armée (who is also officially the guardian of the Emperor's Tomb, no less) has never failed to recognise this involvement throughout the course of the project, and graciously continued to do so last night at the reopening ceremony. And digressing slightly, we cannot let this moment pass without expressing our disappointment at the absence yesterday of the French Minister of the Defence, who was unable to take five minutes out of his schedule to honour us with his presence, on the crowning night of an operation that has cost roughly eighty million Euros and plays an integral role in the nation's relationship with its history and its army.
But, for once, let us leave aside these little grumbles that occasionally will not be silenced and enjoy this moment in all its splendour.
Without further ado, to the museum, one and all!
Thierry Lentz
Director, Fondation Napoléon
|
|
|
| |
ARTICLE OF THE MONTH
"'A Harsh, But Necessary, Apprenticeship': New French Accounts and a Previously Unknown Sketch of the Battle of Trafalgar", by Peter Hicks
This article, which originally appeared in the Trafalgar Chronicle in 2007, takes a look at little-known French accounts regarding the Battle of Trafalgar, and sheds some light on the behaviour of Admiral Dumanoir, commander of the allied van, during the battle. The article also features texts, some available (to our knowledge) for the first time in English, including an early eyewitness account. The log-book from Mont Blanc, which is now held at the National Archives in London, is also reproduced as well as an early sketch, which details the various ship movements and positions.
|
|
|
| |
WHAT'S ON
The Musée de l'Armée reopens its Modern Wing
As you can see from our editorial this week, the grand public reopening at the Musée de l'Armée takes place this Saturday, after a long project of renovation.
Napoleon III and Romania: film showing in Zurich
On 19 March, 2010, at 6.30pm, the Asociatia Studentilor din Zürich in collaboration with the Embassy of Romania in Switzerland and the Universität Zürich is organising a film showing of "Napoleon III and the young Romania" ("Napoléon III et la Jeune Roumanie"). The film seeks to analyse the diplomatic and cultural relationships between France and Romania during the period 1852-1873, and features the involvement of Dan Berindei, of the Académie Roumaine and Eric Anceau, of the Université Sorbonne.
|
|
|
| |
Auction: Melbourne, 25 March 2010
Menzies Art Brands is organising an auction in Kensington (New South Wales, Australia) to take place on 25 March, 2010. Of particular interest to Napoleonic enthusiasts is lot n° 65, the painting of Napoleon at Fontainebleau from the studio of Paul Hippolyte Delaroche, which dates from circa 1852. The painting carries an estimation of between AUS$60,000 and AUS$80,000, and viewing takes place between 18 and 24 March.
Auction: the Empire at Fontainebleau
Taking place in Fontainebleau (France) between 26 and 28 March, 2010, the auction organised by Osenat features a huge number of Napoleonic lots, including private letters from Josephine and the very early sketch and account of the Battle of Trafalgar, valued at 80,000 - 100,000 Euros, discussed and translated in this week's article of the month.
|
|
|
| |
JUST PUBLISHED
The Battle of the Berezina: Napoleon's Great Escape, by Alexander Mikaberidze
In the winter of 1812, Napoleon's army retreated from Moscow under appalling conditions. By late November Napoleon had reached the banks of the River Berezina - the last natural obstacle between his army and the safety of the Polish frontier. But instead of finding the river frozen solid enough to march his men across, an unseasonable thaw had turned the Berezina into an icy torrent. Having already ordered the burning of his bridging equipment, Napoleon's predicament was serious enough: but with the army of Admiral Chichagov holding the opposite bank, and those of Kutusov and Wittgenstein closing fast, it was critical. Only a miracle could save him...
|
|
|
| |
200 YEARS AGO
Marie-Louise arrives in Compiègne
On 17 March, 1810, the convoy advanced through Bavarian territory and reached Haag by the afternoon. There, Ludwig I of Bavaria awaited them, ready to accompany them to the Wittelsbach capital.
Marie-Louise left the city on 19 March. Setting a cracking pace, they crossed through Ulm, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Rastatt and Kiel before reaching the Rhine. There a bridge made of boats awaited the convoy. In the company of Madame Lannes, she crossed the river on foot. Leaving Alsace on 24 March, the carriages passed through Saverne, Phalsbourg, Lunéville, Nancy, Toul, Ligny, Bar-le-Duc, Châlons and Reims, arriving in Vitry-sur-Marne the evening of 26 March. The next morning they left, escorted by a detachment from the 7th chasseur regiment. The original plan was for the two newly-weds to meet in a formal ceremony on 28 March. Although Marie-Louise arrived as expected in Compiègne on 27, Napoleon, impatient to meet Marie-Louise and keen to avoid tiring her with further formal ceremonies, had already joined up with the convoy at Courcelles. That night, Napoleon spent the night with his new bride.
150 YEARS AGO
Nice and Savoy become part of the French Empire
On 24 March, 1860, the Treaty of Turin was signed, securing the transfer of Nice and Savoy from the Kingdom of Sardinia to the French Empire.
The French Emperor had had his eyes on Nice and Savoy since the secret Plombières interview with Count Cavour in July 1858, in which he floated the idea of the two provinces being ceded to France in exchange for France's participation in the war with Austria. The Treaty of Zurich, signed on 10 November, 1859, saw Austria give up Lombardy to Napoleon III, who in turn ceded it to the Sardinian kingdom, without any mention of Nice or Savoy (see bulletin n° 516).
Four months later, with the war over and Italy still in a state of disarray, the signed Turin treaty saw Sardinia-Piedmont give up Savoy and Nice to France. This, however, carried a proviso: the 'reunion' must not go against the wishes of the local populations. With the Moniteur Universel publishing on 22 March a text from a Savoyard deputation, almost pleading with Napoleon III to be incorporated into the Empire, the 'wishes of the population' appeared little obstacle to the treaty. And so it proved following the plebiscite organised for April 1860. On 15 and 16 April in Nice, and on 22 and 23 April, in Savoy, the plebiscites were held. In Savoy, of the 135,449 individuals signed up to vote, only 240 came out against the "reunion". In Nice, that number (out of 30,712 registered voters) was just 160.
On 29 May, 1860, the parliament in Turin ratified the referendum and on 14 June, Savoy's unification with France was formally completed at the Château de Chambéry.
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks & Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 534, 19 - 25 March, 2010
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
Winter opening times:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 1pm-6pm
Thursday: 10am-3pm
(Closed Friday)
FONDATION NAPOLEON ON THE WEB
Each week we offer you a "mystery" link to somewhere on napoleon.org. Click on the link to discover a part of the website you might not have visited before...
Statistic of the week:
The number of items to be found in the Bibliothèque Martial Lapeyre - Fondation Napoléon Library now totals 10,000. Click here for the latest additions (January and February 2010).
The Fondation Napoléon's triumvirate of Napoleonic websites:
- Napoleon.org
- Napoleonica. La Revue
- Napoleonica. Archives Online
The best of the month:
- Book of the month
- Painting of the month
- Objet d'Art of the month
- Article of the month
MAGAZINE
Just published
- The Battle of the Berezina: Napoleon's Great Escape, by Alexander Mikaberidze
Press review
- RFI: report on auction of Josephine's letters to Napoleon
- BBC: auction of miniature portrait of Scottish commander who guarded Napoleon
- Book review: Victorians and the Virgin Mary: Religion and Gender in England, 1830-85
EVENTS
On now
A selection of events taking place now or in the coming weeks, taken from our What's on listings.
Film showings
- "Napoleon III and Romania", Zurich (Switzerland), 19 March, 2010
Full details
Auctions
- Menzies Art Brands auction, Kensington (Australia), 18 - 25 March, 2010
Full details
- "The Empire at Fontainebleau", Fontainebleau (France), 26 - 28 March, 2010
Full details
Exhibitions
- "First Shots: Early War Photography 1848–60", London, UK [02/09/2009 - 18/04/2010]
Full details
- "Turner and the masters", Paris, France [24/02/2010 - 24/05/2010]
Full details
- "Ravage, Empires et mieux !" Two artists and Napoleon, Boulogne-Billancourt, France [12/02/2010 - 29/05/2010]
Full details
- "Charlotte Bonaparte, Dama di molto spirito: the romantic life of a princess artist", Rome, Italy [05/02/2010 - 18/04/2010]
Full details
- "L'Impossible Photographie, prisons parisiennes (1851-2010)", Paris, France [10/02/2010 - 04/07/2010]
Full details
- "Mathilde Bonaparte: a princess on the shores of Lac d'Enghien", Enghien-les-Bains, France [15/01/2010 - 15/04/2010]
Full details
- "Napoléon III et les Alpes-Maritimes", Nice, France [30/11/2009 - 30/06/2010]
Full details
- "Coup de crayon à l'Empire", Waterloo, Belgium [23/09/2009 - 17/05/2010]
Full details<<
|
|
