''Vive L'Empereur!'' is an historical painting made retrospectively by French artist
Édouard Detaille
Jean-Baptiste Édouard Detaille (; 5 October 1848 – 23 December 1912) was a French academic painter and military artist noted for his precision and realistic detail. He was regarded as the "semi-official artist of the French army".
Biogra ...
in 1891, based upon the
cavalry charge of the French
4th Hussars
The 4th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War and the Second World War. It amalgamated with the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, to f ...
during the
Battle of Friedland.
The actual battle had taken place on 14 June 1807, some 41 years before the artist's birth.
History
The painting was purchased by the
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), founded as the New South Wales Academy of Art in 1872 and known as the National Art Gallery of New South Wales between 1883 and 1958, is located in The Domain, Sydney, Australia. It is the most importa ...
in 1893, where it still remains.
In 1959, the painting was damaged severely by water, but it was restored during the 2000s.
Museum
In June 2014, the Art Gallery of New South Wales purchased ''Portrait of Édouard Detaille '' by
Basile Lemeunier (1852–1922), which shows Detaille at work in his studio – painting ''Vive L'Empereur!'' – atop a wooden ladder with a lit cigarette in his mouth.
The portrait was exhibited at the
Paris Salon
The Salon (french: Salon), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art ...
in 1891.
References
External links
1891 paintings
Paintings by Édouard Detaille
Collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales
Horses in art
War paintings
{{19C-painting-stub