Napoléon before the Battle of Moscow by Joseph Franque

Joseph Franque 1774-1833 | French Sa Majesté l’Empereur: Le matin de la bataille de la Moskowa (His Majesty the Emperor: The Morning of the Battle of Moscow) Oil on canvas Better not to have been born than to live without glory.  -Napoléon Bonaparte Emperor Napoléon I was and remains one of the most legendary military and political figures in history, having held, for a brief period, the fate of the Western world in his hands. Composed by the French painter Joseph Franque, this portrait captures the imposing Emperor addressing his army before the Battle of Borodino in 1812 – a battle that would be one of the final victories of the legendary general’s career. Part of the final showing of Salon portraits of Napoléon I, and one of the few of him as emperor in the field, this rare and monumental work is an impressive portrayal of the French leader at the very pinnacle of his power. Napoléon invaded Russia in 1812; his aim was to achieve a fast and decisive victory, and then to force t