Napoleon Crossing the Alps is a famous painting finished in 1801 by French artist Jacques-Louis David. The painting was commissioned by the king of Spain and was a token to show the new and improved relationship between Spain and France. Jacques-Louis David and Napoleon Crossing the Alps were tied to the Neoclassical art movement, which I’ll cover in this article.
The Story of Napoleon Crossing the Alps
Napoleon rose through the ranks of the military during the French revolution. By the year 1799, he became First Consul in France. Then, five short years after that he would become the first Emperor of France.
In this painting, we see Napoleon (as First Consul) leading The Reserve Army across this dangerous mountain pass called Saint Bernard. They were on a military campaign to regain Italy in the year 1800. It’s debated whether Napoleon actually led the army through this mountain pass, or came through later. Nevertheless, of course Jacques-Louis David depicted Napoleon as the triumphant leader.
The Idealization of Napoleon
The artist depicts Napoleon as a glorious victor with arm outstretched and hand in the shape of a blessing sign. He is seated upon a wild, yet majestic horse. This pose mirrors a typical Roman equestrian statue, which is really important to Napoleon because he likes to connect himself with the great leaders of The Holy Roman Empire. In addition, Napoleon looks like the calm within the storm. He’s surrounded by seemingly unnavigable territory – huge cliffs, wild terrain, and harsh weather. But he looks powerful with his windswept hair and his intense gaze.
Overall, Napoleon Crossing the Alps is a very idealized painting. In other words, Napoleon is meant to look perfect. This is fitting because it’s been said that Napoleon had a big ego. This guy didn’t want anybody to seem more powerful than him. In fact, at his coronation he took the crown out of the pope’s hand and crowned himself. Napoleon wanted to make clear who had more power. At the bottom of this painting you can see some names etched into stone. These are the names of powerful men Napoleon is following – Hannibal, Charlemagne, and look who’s at the very top – Bonaparte Napoleon himself.
Napoleon Crossing the Alps and Neoclassicism
Napoleon Crossing the Alps is a great example of the Neoclassical art style. This art style pulls from the roots of Greek and Roman art. Napoleon really wanted to align himself with this style because he wanted to connect himself with the great leaders of the Roman empire and their values and ideas. This is why he often commissioned Jacques-Louis David to do his paintings.
Jacques-Louis David was a leader in the Neoclassical art movement. In fact, some people call him the father of the movement. During the French revolution he was working for the revolutionists and headed the propaganda department. As the lead artist, his job was to sway people politically through his images, and he was really good at his job. This is when Neoclassicism was born, which was a stark contrast to the Rococo art movement that came before.
Neoclassical Art characteristics
This painting shows a lot of typical Neoclassical art characteristics. Remember, Neoclassicism is a shift back to Greek and Roman art. So, you’re going to see a lot of similarities.
The first characteristic of Neoclassical art to notice is the tight brush strokes. These are clean and crisp. Second, the colors used are earthy and natural. Third, the dynamic posing draws your eye right to the center of the piece, which is Napoleon and very Neoclassical and Romanesque. There are also strong diagonal lines, which gives motion, action, and tension to the piece. Napoleon is dressed in military regalia with soldiers surrounding him. These strong civic vibes, pride of country and of protecting people, and a calling to arms by a strong leader who can fight for your country is all Neoclassical.
Napoleon and Propaganda
In the end, this painting and many of Jacques-Louis David’s paintings were straight up propaganda. Napoleon was depicted exactly as he wanted. He is portrayed as the perfect leader for a fallen country. A man perfect to be titled the next emperor of France, Europe, and the world.
To see how Napoleon Crossing the Alps and the Neoclassical art movement fit within art history, download this condensed Western Art history Timeline.