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Lot Essay
Hortense de Beauharnais
Hortense de Beauharnais (1783-1837) was the daughter of Viscount Alexander de Beauharnais and Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie. Hortense's father was executed in 1794 and her mother, the famous beauty, married the Emperor Napoleon I in 1796. Napoleon forced his brother, Louis Bonaparte Count of St. Leu, to marry his step-daughter Hortense in 1802. Louis was created King of Holland in 1806 and became very popular with his people. He ruled until 1810 when his brother forced him to abdicate, suspicious that he over-defended Dutch interests. Holland was then united with France until the Prince of Orange became King William I in 1815.
Other examples from the service, by either Lorillon or Biennais, are in the collection of the Louvre and are illustrated in A. Dion-Tanenbaum, L'Orfévre de Napolèon Martin-Guillaume Biennais, Paris, 2003, p. 75, no. 47.
Hortense de Beauharnais (1783-1837) was the daughter of Viscount Alexander de Beauharnais and Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie. Hortense's father was executed in 1794 and her mother, the famous beauty, married the Emperor Napoleon I in 1796. Napoleon forced his brother, Louis Bonaparte Count of St. Leu, to marry his step-daughter Hortense in 1802. Louis was created King of Holland in 1806 and became very popular with his people. He ruled until 1810 when his brother forced him to abdicate, suspicious that he over-defended Dutch interests. Holland was then united with France until the Prince of Orange became King William I in 1815.
Other examples from the service, by either Lorillon or Biennais, are in the collection of the Louvre and are illustrated in A. Dion-Tanenbaum, L'Orfévre de Napolèon Martin-Guillaume Biennais, Paris, 2003, p. 75, no. 47.