Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte – 1812

Nineteenth-Century French Military Prints and Imperial Command Portraiture

Titled “L’Empereur (1812),” this authentic hand-colored lithograph offers an intimate back-profile perspective of Napoleon Bonaparte during the fateful Russian Campaign. The historical print captures the French leader standing on a rocky outcrop, dressed in his classic dark blue military habit coat featuring red turnbacks, golden epaulettes, and white breeches tucked into high leather riding boots. Crowned with his unmistakable black bicorn hat, this piece illustrates the reflective, solitary state frequently depicted in art to symbolize the immense strategic burdens of early 19th-century warfare.

Historical Lithography and Grande Armée Frontline Iconography

This antique plate, featuring the distinctive signature of artist Charles Aubry, showcases the masterly use of fine line work and selective watercolor washing to create atmospheric depth. In the misty background, a lone French sentry guard wearing a tall shako cap stands watch, emphasizing the constant state of alertness on the front lines of the Grande Armée. From the discarded overcoat resting against the gnarled tree trunk to the details of the sword hilt, this archival artwork provides costume historians with essential data on French imperial iconography and wartime camp life.