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Title:
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Tomb of Napoleon - 2nd Project
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Artist: |
Baron Carlo Marochetti
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This illustration, which appeared in the magazine L'Artiste (2nd Series, 1840, Vol. VI, no.17, p.263) represents Marochetti's 2nd Project for the tomb of Napoleon, as it was erected in facsimile at the Invalides, at the end of July and the beginning of August 1840. It is an unflattering image, perhaps deliberately so, since this magazine was the chief organ for the opposition to Marochetti receiving this prestigious national commission.
The design is described in the greatest detail in Le Petit Courrier des Dames (10 August 1840), whose account reads as follows: "It is placed at the central point of the mosaic of the dome; it is made up of four distinct parts: 1st a large base surrounded by columns and bas reliefs supporting, at its four corners, four statues enveloped in large cloaks and seated, holding, one a globe, another a sceptre, another the hand of justice, the last an imperial crown; 2nd another base two thirds smaller and half the height of the lower one , decorated with bas reliefs, and with, at its four corners four eagles with their wings folded; 3rd a pedestal again decorated with bas reliefs and eight foot high, carrying this word at the centre: NAPOLEON; 4th finally the colossal equestrian statue of Napoleon; the emperor is wearing the great imperial mantle; on his brow is a crown of laurels; his left hand holds the reins; his right hand raised to the level of his head, holds the sceptre of the Empire. ........The equestrian statue is fifteen foot high, the eagles six foot; the four seated figures are in the same proportion as the emperor's statue. The tomb of the emperor will be entirely in bronze. The first base, into which entrance can be had through a door on the southern side, will contain the sarcophagus". There is evidence that within this basement of the monument there was a recumbent effigy of the Emperor. Le Moniteur universel of 3 August 1840 records the arrival at the Invalides of "a model in plaster , representing the emperor in ceremonial costume placed on a lit de parade", and goes on to say that "this monument will, we are told, be of the same type as that of Louis XII at Saint Denis".
This design differs from Marochetti's first project, of which, as yet, no entirely reliable image has been located. According to both the Petit Courrier des Dames (20 July 1840, p.30) and L'Artiste (1840, 2nd series, Vol. VI, No.1, pp.21-22), this consisted of an equestrian statue of the Emperor at the summit, four caryatids, and at the bottom the recumbent effigy of the Emperor. According to L'Artiste, Charles de Rémusat, at that time Minister of the Interior in the cabinet of Adolphe Thiers (Président du Conseil), had had doubts about Marochetti's design and expressed them to Thiers,. Between them, they had agreed to commission the production of a full-scale model. Rémusat, the magazine claimed, had protested that he did not understand "this double monument". Possibly it was due to his doubts on the subject that the recumbent effigy was made less visible. It was not however omitted altogether, but was hidden within the basement.
The design, we are told, was rejected by Ferdinand Duke of Orleans, eldest son of Louis Philippe and heir to the throne. (C. de Rémusat, Mémoires de ma vie, Paris, 1958-1967, vol.3, p.320) The government, whose ranks had included Marochetti's supporters, Adolphe Thiers and Charles de Rémusat, was forced out of office, because of its conduct of affairs in the Middle East, and the new government responded to popular pressure to have the project for Napoleon's tomb thrown open to general competition. Marochetti did not enter the competition, but was later compensated for his disappointment at not being given the tomb commission, by being offered a commission for an equestrian statue of the Emperor, to stand outside the Invalides. (Archives Nationales, F21-735, Order of the Ministry of the Interior, 22 March 1842) Although it reached model stage this statue was finally never erected.
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Material(s): |
Lithograph
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Medium: |
Unassigned |
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Finish: |
- |
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Technique: |
- |
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Genre: |
Funerary Monument
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Colours: |
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Year: |
1840 |
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Height: |
0 metres |
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Width: |
0 metres |
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Depth: |
0 metres |
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Key: |
2056 |
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Acc. No.: |
2056 |
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Col. No.: |
2056 |
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Number of views: |
4368 |
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