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Napoleon I in 1814
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Ernest Meissonier completed this somber scene in 1862, depicting Napoleon Bonaparte leading the remnants of his army through mud and snow during the French campaign of 1814. The Emperor rides grimly forward, his forces diminished by disaster. Meissonier's careful attention to historical detail made him the leading military painter of 19th-century France.
This smaller version, measuring 32 by 24 centimeters, relates to Meissonier's larger "Campagne de France" (1864) now at the Musée d'Orsay. The artist spent years researching Napoleonic campaigns, studying uniforms, weapons, and terrain to achieve historical accuracy. His dedication to detail commanded premium prices from collectors and admiration from fellow artists.
The painting now hangs at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Meissonier's small-scale works, executed with miniaturist precision, earned him comparison to Dutch Golden Age masters. His military scenes remained popular throughout the Second Empire and beyond.
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About Napoleon I in 1814
This painting hangs at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. A larger related version, "Campagne de France" (1864), is at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
The painting shows Napoleon's 1814 campaign in France, when he fought desperately to defend Paris against allied forces. Within months, he would abdicate and be exiled to Elba.
Meissonier (1815-1891) was the leading French military painter of his era. He was renowned for detailed historical accuracy and commanded the highest prices of any living French artist.
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