Monday, March 17, 2014

Napoleon's last leaf

http://www.nationalmuseum.se/sv/English-startpage/About-us/Press-and-Media/Press-images/stagingpower/Martin-Guillaume-Biennais-iLagerblad-fran-lagerkransen-i-guld-som-anvandes-vid-kroningen-med-tillhorande-dosai/

This is the last remaining gold laurel leaf from the wreath that Napoleon wore at his coronation in 1804. The leaves (and berries) - all fashioned by the court jeweler Martin-Guillaume Biennais in naturalistic style - were later melted down by Louis XVIII during the Restoration. This leaf survived because Napoleon gave it to the painter Jean-Baptiste Isabey, who later had it mounted in this box with an accompanying note about how he came to have it:

"At Saint-Cloud in 1805, before the departure for Milan, I was helping the emperor as he tried on the royal crown which was supposed to go above the golden laurel wreath made for the coronation in Notre-Dame. One of the leaves fell off. Just as I was about to give it to the head chamberlain, His Majesty said to me: 'Keep it; it will make a good souvenir of your clumsiness.'"

It is worth listening to the short audioguide for this piece. 


Laurel leaf image courtesy of The National Museum of Sweden
Quotation via Napoleon.org
 

2 comments:

Unknown said...

So much prettier in person. Very petite and beautiful, understates but simply gorgeous. The picture is nice but we have a million times better antique jewelry .
If you don't mind please have a look to my jewelry collection! hope you like it too!

Unknown said...

Diamond Jewellery Store In Delhi in 2016 with the latest jewellery design from the our online jewellery store.

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