Eagle Bearer of Napoleon’s Grande Armee

One of several drawings from “La Vieille Armee francaise” (1820) or “La Vie politique et militaire de Napoleon” (Paris, 1826), showing infantry uniforms or “military exploits under the First Empire, which made [Charlet’s] work popular with the opposition under the Restoration and influential in the propagation of a mythic view of the Napoleonic era” (Oxford Art Online: Charlet, Nicolas-Toussaint). This is an illustration of a “Porte-Aigle” in Napoleon’s regiments, the soldier charged with carrying the Eagle.

The Eagle Bearer carried the figure of an eagle on a staff into battle. Napoleon had modeled this eagle standard on the Roman Imperial eagles. The Eagle Bearer wears the high collared blue jacket, white trousers, and gorget and breast plate of his uniform. He wears his tall black bearskin cap with a red plume and gold band and tassel. Across the front of his uniform is a red, white, and gold sash with gold fringe. He has white gauntlets, white gaiters over black boots, and wears his sword at his waist. His right hand holds the standard with the French colors and the Eagle. Behind him is massed infantry and an officer on horseback.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges