| agent |
Jacques-Louis David (French painter, 1748-1825) |
| culturalContext |
French |
| date |
1806-1807 (design) |
| description |
Jacques Louis David was commissioned by Napoleon I to paint this huge canvas which
depicts the splendor of the emperor’s Coronation while conveying its political and
symbolic message. The painter himself was present at the ceremony, and once back in
his studio portrayed the colorful congregation with realism, combining accuracy with
artistry while also complying with the Emperor’s instructions. He made exhaustive
preliminary studies for all the personages to be shown and enlisted the help of Ignace-Eugène-Marie
Degotti (died 1824), a scene painter from the Paris Opéra, for difficulties he encountered
with perspective.
Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordartonline.com (accessed 5/22/2014) [description source] |
| inscription |
|
| location |
Musée du Louvre (Paris, Île-de-France, France) INV. 3699 [repository] |
| material |
oil paint on canvas |
| measurements |
6.21 meters (height) x 9.79 meters (width) |
| relation |
|
| rights |
|
| source |
Core 4 Sample Database (VCat) |
| stateEdition |
|
| stylePeriod |
Empire; Nineteenth century |
| subject |
historical; portraits; rulers and leaders; Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 |
| technique |
oil painting (technique) |
| textref |
|
| title |
Consecration of the Emperor Napoleon and the Coronation of Empress Joséphine on December
2, 1804 [repository, true, en]
Le Sacre [popular, false, fr] |
| worktype |
paintings (visual works); oil paintings (visual works) |
|
|
|
| image courtesy Musée du Louvre |
|
