Exhibition labels & didactics - National Gallery of Victoria

Pierre-François-Léonard FONTAINE
French 1762–1853
4 studies for The Coronation of His Majesty
Emperor Napoleon in the Metropolitan
Church of Paris, on XI Frimaire of Year XIII,
Sunday 2 December 1804
8 études pour Le Sacre de S.M. l’Empereur
Napoléon dans l’Église Métropolitaine de
Paris, le XI frimaire an XIII, dimanche 2
décembre 1804
1804–05
pen and ink, wash, watercolour, pencil
Departure from the Tuileries Palace
Sortie du Palais des Tuileries
The arrival at Notre-Dame Cathedral
L’arrivée à Notre-Dame
The annointing
Les Onctions
View of the nave of Notre-Dame
(Study for The offering)
Vue de la nef de Notre-Dame
(Étude pour Les Offrandes)
Fondation Napoléon, Paris
Acquisition 1997 inv. 1150.1–4
In preparation for the Coronation ceremony
on 2 December 1804, Napoleon’s architect
Fontaine was asked to design the settings
for the ceremony and its attendant
celebrations. These watercolours show
diverse aspects of the Coronation, such
as the numerous gold bees that decorated
the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral, the
cathedral’s facade adorned with statues
of Clovis and Charlemagne for the occasion,
and the presentation of the Imperial Eagle
battle standards to the armed forces on
5 December 1804.
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