When I viewed this wonderful promotion of Napoleon: Power and Splendor at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, featuring Mark Schneider who popularly reenacts Napoleon in European reenactments, I masterminded our trip!
Since the exhibit is on display in Richmond only from June 9 to September 3, I finally drove down by myself, since my kids were super busy and daylight was burning.
Saddened that they couldn’t fit the exhibit into their insane schedule, they told me to tell them everything!
Wearing my vintage flair double ruffled skirt when I sewed as inspired by Napoleonic fashions, I felt quite immersed in early 19th century France as I walked through the elegant rooms.
IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD STAFF INTERPRETATION
The layout was quite intriguing, built around Napoleon’s various “staff members” that comprised the Imperial Household.
Each room introduced a different “staff member,” then detailed his responsibilities, while showcasing the items for which he was responsible.
The ladies were not to be forgotten.
Each of Napoleon’s wives, Josephine and then Marie-Louise, were also featured within the context of the Imperial Household.
The simplicity of Josephine wearing a muslin gown stunningly contrasted with the elegance of the bust displayed in the center of the room.
GOAL TO BRAND NAPOLEON TO APPEASE ENEMIES
Josephine greatly advised the staff on how to promote a positive image for Napoleon.
Since he was a Corsican by birth, the goal was to make him appear worthy to be included with the prestigious heads of Europe who inherited their positions as heads of state.
Napoleon was asked to lead France, with great hopes that his leadership would finally end the years of the bloody French Revolution.
As Napoleon successfully brought peace and organization to France, the other nations allied against him, for fear that a successful republic in France would impel an overthrow of the governments in their own countries.
ROMAN REPUBLIC INSPIRATIONS
Throughout the exhibit we were reminded of influences from the Republic of Rome, from mosaics, to clothing, and furniture style.
Although Napoleon was no connoisseur, preferring simpler fare, state dinners were sometimes necessary…and sometimes was the operative word.
In his entire reign, he only hosted eight state dinners.
This is an impressive collection from the mid-19th century, of which there are 16,000 pieces!
The piece de resistance of the entire exhibit was the Throne Room.
As a lover of fibers and tapestries, this room peeked my interest in the attention of detail.
This Napoleonic key ring definitely took the concept of ‘keeper of the keys’ to a new level.
The one who wore this key about his waist had a most important position, which is still done by those in this position in European royal households today.
Here you can see the eagle, another symbol from the Roman Empire.
After displays of gorgeous silks from Lyon that decorated the palaces, was this lovely cashmere shawl.
This gorgeous workbox full of sewing implements was gifted by Marie-Louise to one of her Ladies-in-Waiting.
And finally, Napoleon’s tricorne…made of silk, felt, and beaver pelt.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
If you’d like to learn more about Napoleon, I highly recommend Napoleon by Vincent Cronin, which is heavily documented to understand a different view of the man from what we commonly hear.
COMMENTS FROM MY OLD BLOG
Quintessential Clothes Pen – August 16, 2018 – How interesting! That’s a great angle to shape a museum exhibit around. Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Quinn
