Napoleon : The Imperial Household
Regular price £39.95'Sylvain Cordier is to be commended for such beautifully illustrated and richly-informative book. It is an important addition to the scholarship on dress worn at the Napoleonic Court' - The Journal of Dress History
The richly illustrated companion book to a touring exhibition exploring the court of Napoleon through 250 of its works of fine and decorative art.
The dazzling splendours of the court of Napoleon I (1769-1821) reflected the grandeur and ambitions of the greatest empire of the day. This luxurious volume, which accompanies a touring exhibition at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City and le Musée National du Château de Fontainebleau, creates the ambience and captures the spirit that prevailed in the French court during the Empire.
The Imperial Household, a key institution during Napoleon's reign, was responsible for the daily lives of the Imperial family; it consisted of six departments, each headed by a high-ranking dignitary of the Empire: the grand chaplain, grand master of ceremonies, grand marshal of the Palace, grand master of the hunt, grand chamberlain, and grand equerry - each intimately involved with every moment of pageantry in the court.
The book is a treasure trove of beautifully photographed artefacts- ranging from designs for buildings, porcelain, tapestries and uniforms to art, sculpture and carriages - the visual magnificence of which was part of a calculated and deliberate effort to project nobility and power.
Well-written and researched essays cover The Imperial Household: Portraits; The Household & Its Palaces; Art & Majesty and Serving The Imperial Family.
A beautifully presented compendium of extravagance and richness, superbly illustrated by hundreds of crisp photographs. A must for the Napoleonic enthusiast.
Details
- Author: Sylvain Cordier
- Hardcover: 352 pages | 380 colour and black and white illustrations
- Date published: February 2018
- Language: English
- Delivery: Allow 1-2 weeks
- ISBN: 978-0300233469
- Dimensions: 31.9 x 25.3 cm
