Napoleon Bonaparte AH2001

exercise 7:
Four years before the revolution, David was calling for the people to willingly die for their country, to be guided byu patriotismrather than personal relationships. He was calling for self sacrifice.
In  the Oath of the Horatii three athletic young men dressed for war stand stridently taking their oath while languid limp women weep in the right hand side of the painting. The central figure, dressed in red, is holding three swords in front of a black background. The swords are at the emotional centre of the painting. The background is a classical Roman villa interiorwhich has a rigid grid like effectIt is very severe and stark and has a linear style. The mood David was creating with this painting is a fervour for the revolution. He wanted people to set aside family commitments and follow the example of the Horati family. He was calling for action.





exercise 10:

Napoleon as First Consul by Ingres

Painted in 1804

Napoleon is posing for a portrait to celebrate his ‘election’ as the First Consul. A referendum which made Napoleon Bonaparte First Consul for life, was held on 10 May 1802. He had a deep understanding of how to promote his rule through images, objects, and the written word. Napoleon knew how to create a cult of personality that maximised his popularity and sought to win the loyalty of those who might oppose him. Here Napoleon is trying to create the myth of himself as the peacemaker, diplomat and saviour. The portrait is part of his propaganda campaign.

His clothing is luxurious red velvet with gold braiding which is the uniform of the First Consul. He is wearing white silk stockings and black dress shoes.

He is presented in a full frontal civilian pose taking up most of the picture space, so that one can get a good look at the idealised figure. He has been painted from memory because he was a very busy man. His left hand is tucked into his jacket. This mirrors the David painting of Napoleon in his study where he has tucked his right hand into his jacket.

The  objects around him include a scroll of paperwork and a quill at his right hand, indicating his signing "Faubourg d’Amercœur rebâti" (Amercœur suburb rebuilt). The chair behind him looks somewhat like a gilded throne, indicating the idea that he viewed his position as First Consul for Life as an important one, similar to Royalty. Worth mentioning is the heavy gold braid on the thick blue silk tablecloth showing Ingres’fine technique.

The setting is a room with an open window opening out to a view of the cathedral Saint Lambertin in Liege.

Napoleon crossing the Alps by David

It was painted in 1800-1

The painting shows Napoleon on the back fiery stallion. He is leading his troops across the Alps to Austria. Napoleon ordered David to paint him with a calm demeanor astride a rearing horse. Again this is a propaganda piece, creating the myth a Napoleon as a heroic leader.He is pointing with his left hand at the top of the ridge. The cloak also billows as if pointing to the same place. David painted this picture five times, so there are different images.

His clothing includes red topped riding boots, brown jodhpurs, one  white glove on his left hand, a gold trimmed tricorne which denotes his military status and a grand golden cloak, which in some other paintings is red.

He is presented taking up most of the pictorial space with lots of diagonal lines pointing every which way, while Napoleon's torso is the only stable vertical line in the whole portrait. He seems youthful, probably because David's son was used as a model.

The objects around him are a cannon, pulled by troops, and a tricolore, and a sword strapped to his side. The rocks in the foreground are inscribed with the words 'Bonaparte', 'Hannibal' and 'Carolus Magnus' showing that Napoleon has joined other historic generals by crossing the Alps.

The setting, in this case, is a rocky mountain pass, with a wild stormy sky.