Napoleon Bonaparte, First consul

Localisation : The Tribune
Année de création :1803
Artiste :François Gérard

Description

A pupil of David and a historical painter at first, Gérard followed his Master’s footsteps and became portrait artist to the Emperor and his court. Here, one year before Napoleon’s coronation, he painted a portrait of the young general, appointed First consul of the Republic, with all the codes that would be used in portraits featuring ceremonial costume. The hieratic pose, in full-face view, and wisps of dishevelled hair translate the spirit of the Napoleonic epic that had already begun, just as they magnify the conquering figure, perhaps in reference to Alexander the Great. The gleaming, almost feverish, gaze heightens this impression. But as in all portraits, the features seem idealised, because the Emperor was not posing and, as a shrewd politician, he wanted his image to further convey the myth of his character rather than a true likeness.