Miniature Representing General Barbanègre

Round miniature depicting Brigadier General Joseph Barbanègre.
He is depicted in full uniform. He wears the plaque of Officer of the Legion of Honor and the medal of Knight of the Order of Saint Louis.
The execution is of great finesse. The work is signed at the bottom right with a monogram that is difficult to decipher (DBS? DHS?).
On the back are two labels, the top one, partly erased, is written: "Gal Barbanègre ?????? de Huningen 1815 Don de Monsieur ???? 1821"
The bottom label only repeats the top one. It is more recent and more readable. It is written: "Gal Barbanègre Défenseur de Huningen Don de Monsieur ? 1821" Gilded brass rim, blackened wooden frame, flat glass.
View: 5.3 cm.
Brigadier General Joseph Barbanègre, Baron of the Empire: born on August 22, 1772 in Pontacq, died on November 7, 1830 in Paris. Enlisted in 1794, he was discharged in 1796 following a serious injury and did not return to active service until February 21, 1800 with the rank of captain. On January 21, 1804, he was appointed battalion commander in the Consular Guard. Colonel of the 48th Line Infantry Regiment on August 28, 1805, he distinguished himself during the Battle of Austerlitz and was decorated with the Legion of Honor on December 25, 1805. During the Prussian and Polish campaigns of 1806 and 1807, he distinguished himself at the battles of Jena and Eylau. In 1808 he was made a Baron of the Empire. After having contributed powerfully to the winning of the battles of Eckmühl, Ratisbon, and Wagram, he was promoted to brigadier general on May 1, 1809. In 1812, he took part in the Russian campaign and covered himself in glory at Krasnoye and at the crossing of the Niemen. Having received a serious injury, he was forced to stop at Stettin, which he defended valiantly and did not surrender this city on November 21, 1813, until nine months of siege. A prisoner of war during the capitulation of the city, he did not return to France until July 1814.
During the First Restoration, he was appointed assistant inspector of infantry.
During the Hundred Days, the Emperor sent him on May 3, 1815 to Huningue, which he defended against the Austrians. For two months and with only 135 able-bodied men, he resisted the army of Archduke John, more than 20,000 strong. The place only capitulated on August 26, 1815 after the abdication of Napoleon I, and after 12 days of open trenches. He obtained all the honors of the war.
During the Second Restoration, because of his rallying to Napoleon, he was left on availability and died in Paris on November 7, 1830. He is buried in the Père-Lachaise cemetery in the district reserved for the marshals and generals of the Empire.