Portrait Of Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, By F. Gerard (napoleonic Engravings)

This is one of my favorite portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte. This extraordinary and highly controversial historical figure prompts everyone to reflect on his complex personality. His gaze—at once intense and lost in thought—reminds us of one of his quotes: “It is the imagination that governs the world,” and this engraving, published by Alphonse Levasseur & Co. during the second half of the 19th century based on a famous painting created from life in February 1803 at the Tuileries Palace by François Gérard, a work from his early years that foreshadows the future emperor’s artistic maturity. A true prototype of Napoleon I’s official portraits, the painting is striking for the simplicity of its frontal pose and the intensity of the gaze directed at the viewer. The First Consul wears the uniform of a general-in-chief. His silhouette stands out against a sky background, with the snow-covered slope of a mountain running diagonally across it—a probable allusion to the crossing of the Alps during the Italian Campaign. Here we witness the development of an official portrait, in accordance with the model’s wishes; this style would later be adopted and adapted by David in his coronation portraits. The original painting is housed at the Musée Condé in Chantilly. The engraving is simply framed with a gilded moldings adorned with a frieze of laurel leaves. Frame: 52.5 cm x 42.5 cm; Engraving: 48 cm x 38 cm