Napoleon On His Imperial Throne

This aspect can be seen in the case of African American painter Kehinde Wiley’s Napoleon over the Alps. The work depicts a Black man dressed in a modern camouflage jumpsuit with a bandana tied on head while aboard a horse pointing upward (). The work is an is an exact imitation in composition and supporting subjects as the painting of the equestrian portrait under the same name done by French artist Jacques-Louis David between 1801 and 1805 (). By the work imitating the same composition as that of the portrait that depicts someone of the regality and power once achieved by Napoleon and switching the figure with a modern Black man implies that he has the same power. However, Napoleon is commonly known in Western society and the man in Wiley’s

For example, imitating a well-known portrait of Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps by Jacques-Louis David. Whiley re-designed this portrait by substituting the figure of Napoleon with an anonymous African American model and set him against Rococo style background (A New Republic pg. 10). This In observation, this addition destroys the stereotype given to the black image and grants the viewer of similar decent, a strong sense of empowerment of who they are within the

There is no question in the fact that Napoleon Bonaparte was a significant character in France. However, there have been debates among historians for years around the central question: “Was Napoleon Bonaparte a hero or a villain?” The answer here relies on how one looks upon the situation. Was Napoleon Bonaparte a savior to the French, or was he a tyrant to the French? Although many historians’ answers do rely deeply onto perspective, their answers also lie within which stage of life Napoleon Bonaparte was in, as well as the shift in opinions that come as time changes. Paul Stock and Phillip Dwyer analyze Napoleon Bonaparte’s influence and through the analysis, debate on whether Napoleon Bonaparte should be considered a hero or a villain,

For question # 13, focus on the first and third paragraphs of the following site: http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95aug/napoleon.html

Napoleon was a very tactical and clever Emperor who was able to control Europe. One of his tactics included the placing of friends and relatives on the thrones of Europe. A good example of this was after the unseating of the king of Spain. Napoleon had put his own brother on the throne instead. Napoleon was known as the “Corsican ogre” by the rulers of Austria, Prussia, and Russia as they reluctantly signed treaties with him.

To many historians and society, Napoleon Bonaparte is hailed as a powerful and successful emperor due to the vast amount of  territories he conquered during his reign and the restoration of France’s economy. Despite these “successes”, Napoleon was actually inimical for France. He not only lost numerous battles that weakened France over time, but created numerous policies that made France less powerful than other nations and even betrayed the fundamental principles that the revolution was based on.

The first time Jacques-Louis David painted Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798, he was transfixed. Bonaparte sat for a three hour session for David but he was never able to come back to finish the bust David had planned (Hanley). Bonaparte left with an unfinished portrait but gained a major supporter for his reign. David was so captivated by the future emperor that he was even quoted in calling Napoleon his hero. “At last my friends, this is a man to whom one would have raised altars in antiquity; yes, my friends ... Bonaparte is my hero!” (Hanley). David had painted under two other political regimes and had finally felt he had found the solution to all of France’s problems. David was influenced by Bonaparte while he was finishing The Intervention of the Sabine Women

II. Body – Napoleon’s success and the process of the downfall, the reasons why the empire collapsed

The character of an individual may be displayed in form of visual metaphor, abstract reference, and symbolism. This is true in a coat of arms which is meant to exhibit the underlying components of a person’s existence, effect, and legacy. Thus, the coat of arms is akin to a biography in which the narration is focused upon one person. This coat of arms reflect this sentiment, accurately symbolizing and characterizing Napoleon Bonaparte.

Throughout history, men have always been able to conquer different lands. But of these men “The Little Corporal" also known as Napoleon Bonaparte was able to cast a long shadow, from Holland to Egypt, from Moscow to Cadiz. The code Napoleon still remains with us, as the Arc de Triomphe and the memory of a multi-faceted genius. Throughout the history Europe, kings and dictators have been infamous for their voracious desire for control and complete supremacy; the lure of absolute supremacy and total allegiance was too tempting to disregard. Some made their way by the rights of birth, others by scheming their path through politics. But none are as infamous as Napoleon Bonaparte. He achieved great glory by bringing his country (France) out of the turmoil that followed the revolutionary ages, utilizing his political and military support as well as his outstanding tactics in warfare (Flow of history). He reshaped France and gave a new order to their empires, whilst still remaining in favor with the people. Napoleon was a very influential individual throughout his time. He was a military general and emperor who conquered the majority of Europe in the 19th Century. Napoleon was a brilliant strategist and military leader. He commanded one of the most powerful armies in his time and, for a while, other countries could hardly even compare. He had the ambition, skill, and intelligence to do great things for his country. Although he

After all, Napoleon was so pleased with it that he requested several other versions to be made. The painting does a great job of representing France’s new found power after the French Revolution and establishes a sense of authority and honor for the French people. I find the extensive detail and quality of the painting simply impressive. It is definitely a painting I would recommend other people see and read about.

Napoleon is certainly someone who will be remembered throughout history. Some of his triumphs are rivaled by none. He has left a legacy that many will look up to and learn from. Napoleon had an incredible rise to power and many military as well as political successes however, in the end it looks as if he was ultimately defeated.

Napoléon Bonaparte, named one of the greatest conquers of history, rose to power for many reasons, but how did he succeed? Was it because he took over the existing ministry of war, expanded it, and made it more efficient, or was it because he was a brilliant general in the art of war? Like all leaders Napoleon fell from power for economic and political reasons that I will address later in this essay. Napoleon Bonaparte, in my opinion, was a brilliant tactician, artist, and speaker. However, like all men with power, he pushed the status quo too far and paid the consequences for his actions.

Acquiring insight into the personalities and feelings of any historical figure is a tricky thing. Often we are left with secondary, and sometimes very biased, accounts of how individuals conducted themselves in various situations in their lives. But luckily, we are sometimes left with vivid sources penned by figures themselves, and that is what we have with Napoleon 's letters. Through them we can hope to gain a better and more well-rounded look into the life one of the most loved, and reviled, men in recent history.

The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David is imposing in its dimensions. It stands at twenty feet by thirty feet and is displayed in the main gallery of the Louvre museum in Paris. David began this work of art after being orally commissioned by Napoleon in September of 1804. The painting came to its completion November of 1807. The sole fact that the painting took three years to complete demonstrates something about the magnitude and scale of the painting. This was all done on purpose of course in order to record this significant moment in the emperor’s life.