Napoleon conferring the Croix d'Honneur on a French Trooper

It is thought likely that this picture depicts an incident at the end of the Battle of Austerlitz, December 1805, where Napolean massively defeated the Austrians. Napoleon, standing in a rugged and snowy landscape, and wearing a grey greatcoat over his favourite green and scarlet uniform of the Chasseurs à Cheval, presents a medal of the Legion d'Honneur to a trooper of cavalry who holds a captured Austrian colour. A Marshal (possibly Soult) and his staff, and a squadron of cavalry, look on. Behind the Emperor stand two orderlies in scarlet Hussar uniform, and his charger, resplendent with crimson saddlecloth and holster-covers, held by one of the Emperor's Marmelukes.

We are grateful to Charles Webb and Aubrey Bowden for their help in preparing this entry.