''Bonaparte Crossing the Alps'' (sometimes called ''Napoleon Crossing the Alps'', which is also the title of
Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in ...
's better-known
version
Version may refer to:
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* ''Ve ...
of the subject) is a 1848–1850
oil painting by French artist
Paul Delaroche
Hippolyte-Paul Delaroche (17 July 1797 – 4 November 1856) was a French painter who achieved his greater successes painting historical scenes. He became famous in Europe for his melodramatic depictions that often portrayed subjects from English ...
.
The painting depicts
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
leading his army through the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
on a mule, a journey Napoleon and his army of soldiers made in the spring of 1800 in an attempt to surprise the Austrian army in Italy.
Several versions of this painting exist: in the
Louvre- Lens and the
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England outside London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group.
History of the Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery's collection ...
in Liverpool, England. Queen Victoria owned a small version of it.
The work was inspired by
Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in ...
's series of five paintings of ''
Napoleon Crossing the Alps
''Napoleon Crossing the Alps'' (also known as ''Napoleon at the Saint-Bernard Pass'' or ''Bonaparte Crossing the Alps''; listed as ''Le Premier Consul franchissant les Alpes au col du Grand Saint-Bernard'') is a series of five oil on canvas e ...
'' (1801–1805), which present a glorified vision of Napoleon "calm on a spirited horse" rather than a mule, crossing
Great St. Bernard Pass
it, Colle del Gran San Bernardogerman: Grosser Sankt Bernhard
, photo = Great St Bernard Pass.jpg
, photo_caption = View of the pass and hospice from Great St Bernard Lake with Mont Vélan in background
, elevation_m = 2469
, elevation_ref = ...
.
Painting
Historical background
As part of his
1798 campaign during the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
, Napoleon prepared to invade and conquer
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, which was at the time a province of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Such a military action promised numerous benefits, including securing French trade interests, and inhibiting British access to India. By 1 July 1798, Napoleon had landed on the shores of Egypt. After a lengthy
chain of conflicts with heavy casualties, the campaign resulted in an Ottoman-British victory. Napoleon received news from France that Austrian forces had retaken Italy and he decided to return to Paris.
In order to regain the upper hand, he planned to launch a surprise assault on the Austrian army stationed in the
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic ( it, Repubblica Cisalpina) was a sister republic of France in Northern Italy that existed from 1797 to 1799, with a second version until 1802.
Creation
After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte organized t ...
. Based on the assumption the Austrians would never expect Napoleon's large force to be able to traverse the Alps, he chose that as his route.
He selected the shortest route through the Alps, the
Great St Bernard Pass
it, Colle del Gran San Bernardogerman: Grosser Sankt Bernhard
, photo = Great St Bernard Pass.jpg
, photo_caption = View of the pass and hospice from Great St Bernard Lake with Mont Vélan in background
, elevation_m = 2469
, elevation_ref = ...
, which would enable him to reach his destination as quickly as possible.
On 15 May 1800, Napoleon and his army of 40,000—not including the
field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement.
Until the early 20t ...
and baggage trains—(35,000
light artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
and
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
, 5,000
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
) began the arduous journey through the mountains.
[Herold, J.C. p.134] During the five days spent traversing the pass, Napoleon's army consumed almost 22,000 bottles of wine, more than a tonne and a half of cheese, and around 800 kilograms of meat.
![DelarocheNapoleon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/DelarocheNapoleon.jpg)
After crossing the Alps, Napoleon commenced military operations against the Austrian army. Despite an inauspicious start to the campaign, the Austrian forces were driven back to Marengo after nearly a month. There,
a large battle took place on 14 June, which resulted in the Austrian evacuation of Italy.
Artist and commission
![David - Napoleon crossing the Alps - Malmaison2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/David_-_Napoleon_crossing_the_Alps_-_Malmaison2.jpg)
Delaroche, who studied with
Antoine-Jean Gros, a protege of David, was a popular French painter of portraits and grand subjects from history and the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
.
The Liverpool painting was commissioned by
Arthur George
Sir Arthur Thomas George AO, born Athanasios Theodore Tzortzatos (17 January 1915 – 4 September 2013), was an Australian lawyer and association football administrator.
Early life
George was born in Sydney, Australia to parents of Greek anc ...
,
Third Earl of Onslow, after Delaroche and George reportedly visited the
Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
in Paris, where they saw David's version of the famous event. It had only recently been re-hung in the museum after a resurgence of interest in Napoleon, nearly 40 years after he was exiled. Agreeing that the painting was unrealistic, George, who owned a sizable collection of Napoleonic paraphernalia, commissioned Delaroche to create a more realistic depiction.
Elizabeth Foucart-Walker asserts that in fact the painting that hangs in the Louvre-Lens was produced first as it was already in America by 1850, when the Liverpool painting was produced. Stephen Bann suggests that Arthur George's meeting with Delaroche may have occurred, but Delaroche chose to produce two works that are almost identical and send one to America.
Reception
The work, despite its attempt to depict Napoleon realistically, was criticised by several authorities for a variety of reasons. A few disapproved of Delaroche's choice of painting, while others disapproved of Delaroche himself, saying, in some form, that he sought the genius of Napoleon, to no avail.
[Further reading – liverpoolmuseums.org](_blank)
Retrieved on 6 August 2007
Soon after its completion, the work was taken to England, and there, in 1850, it was reviewed by the critic of ''
the Atheneum'', a literary magazine.
The magazine's comments on the work indicated that, while they praised the painting for several of its features, they criticised Delaroche, for various reasons:
Some were displeased with Delaroche's work at the time in general, and, in part, ''Bonaparte Crossing the Alps'', criticising what was described as his 'lowered standards in art'. Such critics included ''
The Gentleman's Magazine
''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term ''magazine'' (from the French ''magazine'' ...
'', who wrote the following text about Delaroche:
Notes
* I Bonaparte chose to ride across the alps on a mule (obtained at a
convent
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
at
Martigny
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octodurie ...
) rather than a steed, the typical gentleman's mount at the time, because the mule was considered to be more
sure-footed on the slippery slopes and narrow passes of the Alps, and to be more sturdy and hardy while making such a perilous journey on such volatile terrain.
[Abbott, J. S. C., p.4]
* II Napoleon ordered the assemblage of over 5,000 artillery for transport through the pass, despite the fact that the pass was widely considered to be much too narrow, and the route too volatile and unstable, to allow any form of artillery, light or heavy, to come through. Thus, Napoleon's military advisers warned him against this move, but he insisted on this presence of this great number of artillery.
* IIIIn addition to these figures, approximately 3,600 French men were wounded, with over 900 captured or missing, and almost 5,520 Austrians were wounded, with over 2,900 captured (missing numbers cannot be accurately estimated).
[Smith, D. ''The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book''. Greenhill Books, 1998.]
* IVThe painting was rehung as a result of the revival of Napoleon's reputation, and a fresh interest into his exploits. However, before this, in 1815, the year Napoleon was exiled, Napoleonic-themed art was proscribed for artists and painters, as he was not well liked because of events that had occurred in the few years immediately preceding 1815, and Napoleon's exile. It was only truly by the 1830s that artwork related to the emperor was being created once more. As such, after being removed from the walls of the Louvre around 1815, David's version had been re-hung by the time Delaroche observed it.
* VThe king of Spain (of the time) commissioned Jacques-Louis David's ''Napoleon Crossing the Alps'' as a friendly gesture towards Napoleon, hoping that the flattering gift would strengthen relationships between France and Spain, to the degree that Napoleon would not consider invading Spain and taking it over, after he became emperor. However, the king of Spain's attempt failed, and, soon after Napoleon crowned himself emperor, he crossed the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
and conquered Spain.
* VIThe ''Athenæum'' was a widely read literary magazine or periodical that was published in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
between 1828 and 1923. Published weekly,
the ''Athenæum'' grew and expanded to become one of the most influential and most widely read periodical of the
Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...
. Most of its content was composed of articles, reviews, and scientific and political news, among others.
The topics covered in these texts included works of literature, fine art, music and theatre, science and politics.
Citations
References
;Literature
*Abbot, J. S. C. ''Napoleon Bonaparte''.
Kessinger Publishing
Kessinger Publishing LLC is an American print-on-demand
Print on demand (POD) is a printing technology and business process in which book copies (or other documents, packaging or materials) are not printed until the company receives an orde ...
, 2004.
*Alison, A. ''History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution in MDCCLXXXIX to the Restoration of the Bourbons in MDCCCXV''. W. Blackwood and sons, 1854.
*Britt, A.B. ''The Wars of Napoleon''. Square One Publishers, Inc., 2003. .
*Bunbury, H.E. ''Narratives of some passages in the great war with France, from 1799 to 1810''. 1854.
*Chandler, D. G. ''Napoleon''. Leo Cooper, 2002. .
*Clancy-Smith, J.A. ''North Africa, Islam and the Mediterranean World: From the Almoravids to the Algerian War''. Routledge, 2001.
*Clubbe, J. ''Byron, Sully, and the Power of Portraiture''. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005.
*Dodge, T.A. ''Napoleon: A History of the Art of War''. Adamant Media Corporation, 2001.
*El-Enany, R.; Inc NetLibrary ''Arab Representations of the Occident East-west Encounters in Arabic Fiction''. Routledge, 2006.
*Foucart-Walter, E. ''Paul Delaroche et le thème du passage du Saint-Bernard par Bonaparte'' pp. 367–384 in La Revue du Louvre No 5-6 1984
*Herold, J.C. ''The Age of Napoleon ''. Houghton Mifflin Books, 2002. .
*Jefferies, F. ''The Gentleman's Magazine''. Published 1856.
*Kelley, T.M. ''Reinventing Allegory''. Cambridge University Press, 1997.
*''The American Whig Review'', by the Making of America Project. Published first in 1845.
*Mason, D.S. ''Revolutionary Europe, 1789–1989: Liberty, Equality, Solidarity''. Rowman & Littlefield, 2005.
*Murray, C.J. ''Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760–1850''. Taylor & Francis, 2004.
*Quilley, G.; Bonehill, J. ''Conflicting Visions: War and Visual Culture in Britain and France, C. 1700–1830'' Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005. .
*Thiers, M.A. ''History of the Consulate and the Empire of France Under Napoleon''. Kessinger Publishing, 2005. .
*Tuckerman, H.T. ''Poems''. Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1851.
*Walther, I.F.; Suckale, R. ''Masterpieces of Western Art: A History of Art in 900 Individual Studies'' Taschen, 2002.
;Other
DELAROCHE, Paul – ''Bonaparte Crossing the Alps''''Bonaparte Crossing the Alps'', 1848, Paul Delaroche (1797–1856)Bonaparte Crossing the Alps''; Delaroche, Paul; 1848
External links
Zoomable image of the artwork
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonaparte Crossing The Alps
Paintings by Paul Delaroche
1848 paintings
Paintings of Napoleon
Paintings in the collection of the Walker Art Gallery
Paintings in the Louvre by French artists
Paintings in the Royal Collection of the United Kingdom
Horses in art