David and Napoléon

DAVID AND NAPOLEON: AN IMAGE-MAKER AND HIS ICON

Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825) was the preeminent French artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) was one of the most influential military leaders of all times. While David was fascinated by the military commander’s charisma and nationalist ideals, Napoleon saw advantage in having the most celebrated living painter support his cause. Together, they created a formidable propaganda machine that helped sustain Napoleon’s hold on power for over a decade, and a longer lasting myth of the military man’s might. By the time he met Napoleon in 1797, David had already left his mark on both art and politics. He had reaped the rewards of royal patronage, taken part in the French Revolution, and survived imprisonment. Upon his release from prison in 1795, David was ready to make a fresh start and nimbly capitalized on Napoleon’s rise. His mastery of history painting proved useful, serving the military leader’s political aims and related artistic needs until the fall of the Empire in 1815. The relationship between the two men was propelled by similarities. Both revered the classical world, with David looking back for artistic inspiration and Napoleon for political ideas, which he eventually drew on for his civil codes. The two also understood the power of art and its ability to influence. Napoleon would invite artists onto the battlefield to help spread the word about his might and victories, while David was an expert at conveying clear messages in his art. More than any other artist, David shaped the image of Napoleon that still endures today. David was responsible for creating a legitimizing and stable representation of Napoleon, who had, until then, been portrayed mostly in a loose way. The strict codes in effect for the representation of royalty, regulating the choice of costume, accessories, setting, pose, and expression had collapsed with the Revolution. David

-more- Page 2 faced the daunting task of finding a balance between traditional iconography and the modern, flashy dynamism that marked Napoleon and his career. After seizing power and establishing himself as first consul in 1799, Napoleon worked hard to discredit the idea that the consulate was a military dictatorship—a prospect that opposed the ideals of the French Revolution. To promote himself as a statesman, Napoleon commissioned a series of portraits of himself in civilian costume. The many artists who executed official portraits of Napoleon at this time each negotiated that challenge in a different way. David recognized that monarchial imagery failed to capture a fundamental quality of Napoleon’s rise to power: the triumph of individual will. Without the advantage of birth and lineage, he was an extreme example of revolutionary meritocracy. David’s solution was to blend in references to history to validate the military leader’s power. In Bonaparte Crossing the Alps at Grand-Saint-Bernard, he places Napoleon in the company of legendary leaders by adding inscriptions citing Hannibal and Charlemagne, and constructing an idealized image of Napoleon that links him to great historical predecessors in the long tradition of ancient Roman and Renaissance equestrian portraits. Unfazed by all challenges posed by man or nature, Napoleon is shown charging onward with all his energies directed toward the glorious future. After 1804, to ensure the political credibility of his new role as emperor, Napoleon began to imitate absolute monarchs, demanding that his entourage remain at a respectful distance. Reviving a courtly tradition, Napoleon appointed David as first painter to the emperor, with a commission to produce a suite of four immense paintings to celebrate the coronation ceremonies. David worked on the commission for at least three years, developing and adjusting the compositions in consultation with Napoleon. As first conceived, The Coronation of Napoleon and Josephine was faithful to reality, showing Napoleon crowning himself in Nôtre Dame Cathedral in an aggressively confident gesture. Napoleon sensed the provocative nature of this attitude and ordered David to modify the work, eventually transforming it into a representation of Napoleon crowning Josephine. With the crown hovering in mid-air, David’s painting portrays everyone transfixed by the event, except for Napoleon and

-more- Page 3 the Pope, who direct their gaze on Josephine. This depiction of courtly splendor celebrates the new imperial era, but draws self-absorbed attention away from Napoleon, instead focusing on his actions in the spirit of chivalry. This painting represents a compromise between two strong opinions, revealing how David and Napoleon worked together to each achieve their own place in history.

# # # Note to editors: Images available on request.

MEDIA CONTACT: Beth Brett Getty Communications Dept. 310-440-6473 [email protected]