Napoleon: Power and Splendor

Exhibition Website

Oct 26 2018 - Mar 10 2019


Napoleon: Power and Splendor marks the first exploration of the majesty and the artistic, political and ideological significance of Napoleon’s imperial court from Napoleon’s self-appointment as First Consul in 1799 to his abdication in 1814. The Imperial Household was a key institution during Napoleon’s reign. It was responsible for the daily lives of the Imperial family and the day-to-day existence of former general Bonaparte, who became Emperor Napoleon.

The exhibition aims to re-create the ambiance and capture the spirit that prevailed in the French court during the Empire. A selection of works, most of which have never before been exhibited in North America, will reveal the power and splendor of the Imperial Household and its role in fashioning a monarchic identity for the new emperor, his family and loyal entourage.

The exhibition is organized and circulated by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, with the participation of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Musée national du château de Fontainebleau and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.


Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website 
Image: Andrea Appiani, Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, in the Uniform of a General in the Army of Italy, 1801. Oil on canvas, 99 x 80.8 cm. Prêt d’une collection particulière, Montréal. Photo MBAM, Christine Guest.
  • Various Media
  • European
  • 19th Century
  • Andrea Appiani
  • and others

Exhibition Venues & Dates