Items Similar to Napoléon before the Battle of Moscow
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6
Joseph FranqueNapoléon before the Battle of MoscowCirca 1812
Circa 1812
About the Item
Emperor Napoléon I was and remains one of the most legendary military and political figures in history, having held, for a brief period, the fate of the Western world in his hands. Composed by the French painter Joseph Franque, this portrait captures the imposing Emperor addressing his army before the Battle of Borodino in 1812 – a battle that would be one of the final victories of the legendary general’s career. Part of the final showing of Salon portraits of Napoléon I, and one of the few of him as emperor in the field, this rare and monumental work is an impressive portrayal of the French leader at the very pinnacle of his power.
Napoléon invaded Russia in 1812; his aim was to achieve a fast and decisive victory, and then to force the Russians to agree to the terms of a treaty they had signed just four years earlier. The two forces eventually met at Borodino on September 7, 1812 — it would prove to be one of Napoléon’s final victories. After a single day of battle, the Russian forces withdrew, and Napoléon’s Grand Armée pushed on to take the ancient city of Moscow. Yet, they arrived to a city already burning, and what followed was a brilliantly strategic scorched earth retreat by the Russians that ultimately led to Napoléon’s defeat. This incredible oil on canvas offers a captivating portrait of the Emperor before these fateful months, portraying him at the zenith of his power.
Composed for the Salon of 1812, this monumental work by Franque is one of the last French paintings exhibited of Napoléon during his lifetime; the next Salon took place in 1814 months after his exile to Elba. The large-scale work is part of a rich tradition of court painting under the Napoleonic regime that exalted the triumphs of the Emperor. Franque is counted among the great French masters Jacques-Louis David, Antoine-Jean Gros, and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres as those artists favored by the French court during this period. Their works, the present piece included, helped to shape the persona of Napoléon as both the heroic general and the benevolent sovereign, while ultimately glorifying the entire Napoleonic age.
Epic in both size and character, Franque’s work provides a rare, almost intimate portrait of the Emperor on this pivotal day. While hints of his forces’ camp can be seen behind him, his imposing figure fills the canvas. He is depicted in full military regalia with his distinctive bicorne hat atop his head, and strikes a brave pose. Though Franque was not present on the battlefield, he would have seen Napoléon in Paris just a few months earlier, and thus his portrait is almost certainly a true likeness of the Emperor. Large in size and historically significant, it is perhaps the best of Franque’s oeuvre.
Born in 1774, the painter Joseph Franque was a student of the preeminent Neoclassical painter Jacques-Louis David. He painted a number of portraits for the Imperial family, including his celebrated portrait the Empress Marie-Louise currently hanging in Versailles. He left Paris in 1812, the same year this work was composed, following Elisa Bonaparte, Napoléon’s sister, to Italy. He settled there, eventually earning the directorship of the Fine Art Academy in Naples. Today, his works are represented in important museum collections worldwide, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Palace of Versailles.
Circa 1812
Canvas: 89 3/4” high x 48 3/8” wide
Frame: 105” high x 63 3/4” wide
Exhibited:
Paris, Salon, 1812, no. 394, as Sa Majesté l’Empereur: Le matin de la bataille de la Moskowa
Provenance:
Acquired in Italy, circa 1855, thus by succession
Ducal Collection, France
Private Collection, France
M.S. Rau Antiques, New Orleans
- Creator:Joseph Franque (1774 - 1833)
- Creation Year:Circa 1812
- Dimensions:Height: 105 in (266.7 cm)Width: 63.75 in (161.93 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:New Orleans, LA
- Reference Number:Seller: 30-48111stDibs: LU1866403952
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
Established in 1912
1stDibs seller since 2013
16 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 8 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: New Orleans, LA
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllA Pompeian Lady
By John William Godward
Located in New Orleans, LA
John William Godward
1861-1922 British
A Pompeian Lady
Signed and dated "J.W. Godward 1904" (lower right, partially covered by frame)
Oil on canvas
One of the last and greatest Victorian neoclassical painters, John William Godward is celebrated for his flawlessly executed images of graceful women posed in idealized ancient settings. In this work, entitled A Pompeian Lady, a classical beauty is caught idling in a moment of quiet, solitary reflection. Godward's elegant subjects are depicted with a degree of technical mastery that remains unsurpassed, and the work's dramatic palette, luxurious fabrics and classical vision are all characteristics of his unique take on the neoclassical style.
Godward was unmatched in terms of his technical skill and attention to detail. A master of contrasting textures, he paints a diaphanous gown draping against the model’s smooth, milky white skin, which sits against the painstakingly rendered individual hairs of a tiger’s pel. Scintillating color permeates the canvas as well, energizing the otherwise static scene. Each element is given careful attention, and the overall effect is one of both immaculate technique and sensual tactility.
Along with his contemporary and mentor, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Godward set the tone for the Victorian neoclassicist movement. He built his career upon creating images of idealized feminine beauty infused with a Greco-Roman-inspired style. Though greatly influenced by Alma-Tadema, Godward distinguished himself through his predilection for the solitary female figure. His fame rose dramatically in the first few years of the 20th century, when the present work was completed, due to the burgeoning strength of the British Empire and the Victorian society’s preoccupation with ancient Rome. To many of the newly affluent, Roman society was, as Iain Gale writes, “a flawless mirror of their own immaculate world.” The sensuality and mystery of Godward’s maidens, combined with his impressive antique backdrops...
Category
Early 20th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portraits Of Emperor Napoleon III And Empress Eugénie By Studio Of Franz Xaver W
By Franz Xaver Winterhalter
Located in New Orleans, LA
Studio of Franz Xaver Winterhalter
(1805-1873) German
Portraits of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie
Oil on canvas
These grand portraits of Emperor Napoleon III and Empres...
Category
19th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Solitude
By Guillaume Seignac
Located in New Orleans, LA
French Academic painter Guillaume Seignac was renowned for his masterful treatment of the idealized nude. His languishing female subjects based on Greco-Roman prototypes were and rem...
Category
19th Century Academic Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
The Twelve Princesses
By Gustave-Max Stevens
Located in New Orleans, LA
The greatest triumph of the artist’s career, this extraordinary and monumental oil on canvas by Gustave-Max Stevens perfectly represents the highly detailed compositions and richly h...
Category
Late 19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Price Upon Request
La Carmencita by John Singer Sargent
By John Singer Sargent
Located in New Orleans, LA
John Singer Sargent
1856-1925 American
Stamped by artist's estate (en verso)
Oil on canvas
John Singer Sargent, widely regarded as one of history's most distinguished portraitists...
Category
19th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Solitude
By Guillaume Seignac
Located in New Orleans, LA
Signed “G-Seignac” (lower right)
Oil on canvas
French Academic painter Guillaume Seignac was renowned for his masterful treatment of the idealized nude. His languishing female subje...
Category
19th Century Academic Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
You May Also Like
Portrait of Lady
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 30 x 25 inches (76 x 63.5 cm)
Original gilt swept frame
This portrait is marked by its loose brushwork, which creates a sense of hazy nostalgia. Despite th...
Category
Late 18th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$19,543
Portrait of a Young Woman, Sir Godfrey Kneller, Hand carved gilt frame
By Sir Godfrey Kneller
Located in London, GB
Oil on canvas
Image size: 30 1/4 x 25 inches (77 x 63 cm)
Original hand carved gilt frame
Provenance
Private Estate, England
This is a very fine example of Kneller's work in the early 18th century. Here, the emphasis is placed directly on the sitter's alluring femininity, with this being enhanced by the falling hair around her shoulder. This looseness of focus is created with a free fluidity of brushstrokes. He has used a Rembrandt-esque technique of subtle tones in the face, and we can see how Kneller often allowed the bluer ground layer to show through when suggesting the darker flesh tones.The painterly technique seen here is an excellent demonstration of Kneller’s style.
The bold handling of the flesh tones is Kneller at his most emphatic, while the sizeable areas of dark grey ground we see are indicative of his method of painting quickly, developed by this stage in his career to cope with the many demands of a large circle of patrons. The same effect is used for the shadows in the face: rather than paint darker colours on top of the pink flesh tones, as most artists would have done, Kneller instead painted in the reverse order, using the ground layer for his dark shadows, and then painting the lighter colours on top. Often he worked with an almost dry brush in strong firm strokes. Here the flesh tones have been rapidly, almost roughly painted, with bold areas of impasto giving way to areas where almost no paint has been applied at all, a trick that allowed Kneller to use the blue-grey ground layer to show darker flesh tones.
Godfrey Kneller...
Category
Early 18th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Odalisque with Tray oil on canvas painting
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Title of the Artwork: Odalisque with Tray
Artist: Rosendo González Carbonell
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 24 x 20 inches
Frame: Unframed
Style: Figurative, focusing on the fe...
Category
1970s Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$913 Sale Price
33% Off
Woman Selling Fruit oil on canvas painting european art
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Title: Woman Selling Fruit
Author: Rosendo González Carbonell
Technique and Support: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 31.9 x 25.6 in (unframed)
Period: 1970s
Style: Costumbrist realism with impressionist influences
Condition: Part of a private collection
Description of the Artwork
The painting portrays a woman holding a basket filled with fruit, notably apples and pears, focusing on warm and dark contrasts that add depth and realism to the composition. The artist creates an intimate atmosphere, skillfully manipulating light to highlight the woman's facial features and the textures of the fruit. The figure’s attire evokes a classical style, likely inspired by costumbrist themes.
Rosendo González Carbonell, renowned for his focus on traditional scenes and female figures, employs in this piece loose yet precise brushstrokes, creating dynamism that enhances the composition. The warm hues of the fruit and the serene expression of the woman reflect the artist’s intention to capture a moment of everyday life with sensitivity and expressiveness.
Author’s Biography
Rosendo González Carbonell (Barcelona, 1910 - 1984) was a Spanish painter recognized for his focus on female figures, portraits, and landscapes. He studied at the Acadèmia de Belles Arts de Sabadell under the mentorship of Mayoral and Antoni Alsina i Amils and also attended the "Llotja" art academy in Barcelona. He was a disciple of Bonaventura Puig Perucho and maintained a close friendship with painter Alejandro Huerta Lucas.
He participated in the National Fine Arts Exhibitions held in Barcelona in 1942 and 1944. His work reflects the tradition of Catalan painters such as Joaquim Mir and Santiago Rusiñol, as well as influences from impressionist masters like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro. González Carbonell often depicted small villages, rural churches, and tranquil landscapes, balancing meticulous detail with impressionist brushstrokes that bring his compositions to life.
Similar Artists
González Carbonell shares artistic sensitivities with other renowned painters who captured the essence of landscapes and human figures through light and color:
Joaquim Mir: Renowned for his luminous interpretations of the Catalan landscape.
Santiago Rusiñol: Famous for his delicate depictions of rural scenes and local architecture.
Josep Amat...
Category
1970s Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$1,141 Sale Price
37% Off
Untitled Portrait II (Modern, Academic Style Portrait Painting of a Young Man)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Modern, academic style portrait painting on canvas of a young athletic male
oil on canvas, 26 x 17 inches in antique wood frame
This vertical, contemporary portrait painting of sin...
Category
2010s Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
English School Portrait of a Scholar Oil on Canvas
Located in Astoria, NY
English School, Portrait of a Scholar, Oil on Canvas, early 19th century, signed indistinctly and dated lower left, ornate giltwood frame. Image: 51.25" H x 40.5" W; frame: 57" H x 4...
Category
Early 19th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
The Emperor
Battle Brown
Napoleon Figure
Portrait Of Napoleon
1774 Art
Large Neoclassical Painting
Napoleon Oil
Battle Field
Emperor Empress
Best Of Napoleon
Marie Versailles
Antique Sovereigns
Napoleonic Paintings
Jacques Antiques
Napoleon Jacques
19th Century Oil Paintings Napoleon
Emperor Of Russia
French Neoclassical Oil Painting