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Lot Essay
Napoleon crowned himself Emperor on 2 December 1804 at Notre Dame in Paris wearing closely similar robes and regalia to those depicted in this portrait, executed two years later. The red velvet robes worn for this portrait bear such strong resemblances to the coronation robes that they are probably the very same, although the lace stock is more modest than that of 1804, when a flared lace collar had also been worn. The chain of the Grand Maître of the Légion d'Honneur depicted here differs to the one used for the coronation, explained by the Emperor's request of 12 April 1806 that it be remodelled. Among other changes, the Imperial crown was added to the badge, in a different position to the former crown.
The son of the Sèvres decorator Charles Adam, Henry Albert Adam is recorded as having worked at the Sèvres factory from 1806-7. The delicacy of the work carried out here exemplifies his highly developed painting skills. The extremely fine stippling used for the skin-tones produces a very soft, realistic effect for the features. Stippling also produces gentle shading in the shadows behind the Emperor. Linear strokes describe the ermine, and raised enamel produces a three-dimensional effect for the lace, gold jewellery and gold embroidery. The extreme care taken with this portrait befits the importance of the sitter and of the commission. Napoleon was at the height of his powers in 1806. Successive victories against the Prussians at the battles of Saalfeld, Jena and Auerstadt culminated in his victorious entrance into Berlin in late October 1806; later that same year he entered Warsaw.
As the chain of the Grand Maître of the Légion d'Honneur was remodelled in April 1806, this portrait must have been executed between April and December of that year, although exact records dating the commission have yet to be uncovered. Henry Albert Adam left Paris for Russia after 1807 and had become the artistic director of the St Petersburg porcelain factory by 1808. Examples of his work are extant in Russian museums, including an important vase on display at the Kremlin.
The son of the Sèvres decorator Charles Adam, Henry Albert Adam is recorded as having worked at the Sèvres factory from 1806-7. The delicacy of the work carried out here exemplifies his highly developed painting skills. The extremely fine stippling used for the skin-tones produces a very soft, realistic effect for the features. Stippling also produces gentle shading in the shadows behind the Emperor. Linear strokes describe the ermine, and raised enamel produces a three-dimensional effect for the lace, gold jewellery and gold embroidery. The extreme care taken with this portrait befits the importance of the sitter and of the commission. Napoleon was at the height of his powers in 1806. Successive victories against the Prussians at the battles of Saalfeld, Jena and Auerstadt culminated in his victorious entrance into Berlin in late October 1806; later that same year he entered Warsaw.
As the chain of the Grand Maître of the Légion d'Honneur was remodelled in April 1806, this portrait must have been executed between April and December of that year, although exact records dating the commission have yet to be uncovered. Henry Albert Adam left Paris for Russia after 1807 and had become the artistic director of the St Petersburg porcelain factory by 1808. Examples of his work are extant in Russian museums, including an important vase on display at the Kremlin.