Exhibition labels & didactics - National Gallery of Victoria

MALMAISON
Preoccupied with both political and private concerns after his return
from Egypt in October 1799, Napoleon did not expect to be dealing
with the acquisition of Malmaison, an estate that he had previously
declined, arguing that it was excessively priced. After his initial
surprise, and apparent annoyance, he worked with Josephine on its
complete refurbishment. Malmaison soon became the Bonapartes’
indispensable private residence, situated as it was just a few
kilometres from Paris.
For architects, Napoleon and Josephine selected Charles Percier
and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine. Both men had lived in
Rome between 1785 and 1790, and Graeco-Roman antiquity was
their primary source of inspiration. Their infusion of daily life with
antique references stemmed from a strong conviction that adopting
antiquity’s formal simplicity would provide a visual equivalent of
political democracy.
At Malmaison the ingenious designs of Percier and Fontaine gave
each room a unique atmosphere, sometimes completely different
from neighbouring sections. In Malmaison’s garden, work also
progressed continually. By the fall of the Empire in 1815 it had
increased in size to 727 hectares. It comprised principally
agricultural land and forests, but a 70-hectare English-style park
also surrounded the château, along with some smaller buildings
and garden features.
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