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Jacques-Louis David, a renowned 18th-century French painter, was not only an exceptionally skilled artist but also a devoted admirer of Napoleon Bonaparte. This admiration is evident in his dramatic portrait, Napoleon Crossing the Alps, a work that stands as a pivotal moment in both the artist's and the emperor's histories.
1. NAPOLEON CROSSING THE ALPS SIGNIFIED A NEW CHAPTER FOR FRANCE.
David’s historically inspired artworks didn’t just reflect political shifts in France—they played a role in shaping them. His painting Death of Socrates (1787) helped ignite revolutionary fervor, while The Death of Marat (1793) immortalized its subject as a martyr for the cause of the French Revolution. As the 19th century dawned, France was on an upward trajectory, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, who had executed a coup d’état against the revolutionary regime.
2. IT WAS INFLUENCED BY NAPOLEON'S VICTORY AT THE BATTLE OF MARENGO.
In the spring of 1800, Napoleon's army crossed the Alps via the Great St. Bernard Pass to launch a surprise attack on Austrian forces in what is now northern Italy. On June 14, the Battle of Marengo resulted in a decisive defeat for the Austrians, strengthening Napoleon's grip on European power. Painted over four months in 1800 and 1801, Napoleon Crossing The Alps was created to commemorate this significant victory.
3. IT WAS COMMISSIONED AS A DIPLOMATIC GESTURE.
Seeking to improve ties with France, Charles IV of Spain met Napoleon for an exchange of grand gifts. Napoleon presented Versailles-made pistols, elegant Parisian dresses, fine jewels, and armor. In return, Charles IV gave 16 Spanish horses from his royal stables, portraits of himself and his queen by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya, and Napoleon Crossing The Alps, a portrait commissioned from the esteemed French painter David.
4. IT WASN'T DAVID'S FIRST PORTRAIT OF NAPOLEON.
In 1797, David began a portrait of the general to commemorate the peace treaty with Austria at Campo-Formio. He completed Napoleon's face and sketched the body but ultimately abandoned the project, turning his focus to The Intervention of the Sabine Women (1799). The unfinished portrait was later displayed at the Louvre, and its image appeared on the 100 Francs note in the 1960s.
5. NAPOLEON REFUSED TO POSE FOR THE PAINTING.
The self-declared First Consul of France remarked, "Nobody knows if portraits of great men truly resemble them, it is enough that their genius is captured." To work around this challenge, David used a previous portrait of Napoleon and references from his uniform worn during the Battle of Montenegro. He even had one of his sons don the uniform and climb a ladder to approximate a live model's pose.
6. DESPITE THIS, NAPOLEON HAD SPECIFIC DEMANDS.
He requested an equestrian portrait, a style traditionally favored by royalty. Napoleon insisted on being portrayed as "calme sur un cheval fougueux,” which translates to "calm on a fiery horse." David met this request with his artistic interpretation.
7. IT PRESENTS A DISTORTED VERSION OF THE BATTLE OF MARENGO.
David was known for idealizing his subjects, often making them appear younger, fitter, and more attractive. Napoleon was no exception. Some believe this youthful depiction reflects David's admiration for the emperor. However, a key inaccuracy is that Napoleon didn't actually lead his forces across the Alps. He followed days later and did so not on a galloping horse but on a mule, better suited for the narrow, rugged path his troops had carved.
8. DAVID DRAWS PARALLELS BETWEEN NAPOLEON AND HISTORIC MILITARY LEGENDS.
In the lower-left corner of the painting, the names BONAPARTE, HANNIBAL, and KAROLUS MAGNUS are etched into the rocks. The Carthaginian general Hannibal famously crossed the Alps during the Second Punic War in 218 BCE, while Charlemagne, King of the Franks, did so in 773 during his campaign against the Lombards. By including these names, David suggests that Napoleon's legacy and victories will be immortalized like those of Hannibal and Charlemagne.
9. NAPOLEON NEVER ACTUALLY RECEIVED THE PAINTING.
Napoleon Crossing the Alps was originally destined for Charles IV's royal palace in Madrid. It was displayed alongside paintings of other esteemed military figures as a representation of the strong friendship between Spain and France.
10. NAPOLEON WAS SO FOND OF THE PAINTING, HE WANTED MORE VERSIONS.
Napoleon didn’t just want more portraits of himself; he requested that David recreate this exact scene three more times. Since the original piece was in Charles IV's palace, Napoleon had additional copies commissioned for his own residences. He wanted one displayed at his preferred Château de Saint-Cloud, another for the library at Les Invalides in Paris, and a third for the palace of the Cisalpine Republic in Milan, which was an ally of France at the time. David painted a fifth version, which he kept in his studio until his death in 1825. Later, his daughter returned it to the Bonaparte family.
11. ALL FIVE PAINTINGS SHARE THREE COMMON TITLES.
The most recognized title is Napoleon Crossing the Alps, but the paintings are also referred to as Napoleon at the Saint-Bernard Pass and Bonaparte Crossing the Alps.
12. THERE ARE SLIGHT VARIATIONS AMONG THE FIVE VERSIONS OF THE PAINTING.
Napoleon's cloak changes color across the paintings, moving from gold in the original to crimson in others. Similarly, his horse's color varies from the original piebald black and white to brown or dappled grey with gold locks. The riding gear, including the martingale and girth, also differ in color and details. Additionally, David’s signature alters in each painting, with one version not signed at all.
13. NAPOLEON CROSSING THE ALPS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT PROMOTION FOR DAVID.
By 1804, Napoleon had crowned himself emperor of France, and David had risen to the prestigious position of "First Painter to the Emperor." He went on to create flattering portraits for his powerful patron, such as Napoleon in his Study (1812) and Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of the Empress Josephine (1805-07).
14. AFTER NAPOLEON'S DOWNFALL, DAVID WAS FORCED INTO EXILE.
When Napoleon's rule ended following his defeat at Waterloo, the French monarchy was restored. David, along with others who had voted for the execution of Louis XVI in 1792, was exiled. He moved to Brussels, where he continued his artistic work.
15. NAPOLEON'S LEGACY HAS CAST A SHADOW OVER DAVID'S REPUTATION.
Art historians often favor David's works from before the Napoleonic era. Napoleon Crossing The Alps has faced criticism for its stiffness, with some arguing it appears more like a statue than a dynamic scene. Despite continuing to paint until his death, none of David's later works gained the same level of praise as his masterpieces from the late 1700s, such as Oath of the Horatii, The Death of Socrates, and The Death of Marat. His earlier creations solidified his reputation as a trailblazer in Neoclassicism, but his portraits of Napoleon are often remembered more for their historical significance than for their artistic value.
