Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor [Hardcover]

Gerard Gengembre (Author), Pierre-Jean Chalencon (Author), David Chanteranne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2003

This lavishly illustrated book retraces the meteoric career of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), the "little Corsican" who rose from the ashes of the ancien régime to become the most charismatic and powerful European leader since Alexander the Great. Accompanied by paintings, drawings, engravings, caricatures, sculpture, film stills, posters, and other examples of Napoleonic iconography, the text tells the story of the leader's life, his myth, and his enduring fame over two centuries.

An inspired master of propaganda, Bonaparte was acutely aware of his image at every stage of his progress, from the lean man of action painted by Gros in the 1790s through Ingres's Zeus-like sovereign of 1806, to the tragic, fallen hero apotheosized in stone by Rude. Later depictions of Napoleon cast him as Romantic hero and unsurpassed military strategist but also as Corsican despot and anti-Christ. In addition to work by artists ranging from the court painter David to Larry Rivers in our own time, the book presents clothing, jewels, furniture, porcelain, and silver from Malmaison and other Napoleonic residences, each a paradigm of Empire elegance. All ?nd a place in a book whose fascinating combination of history, biography, and the arts is sure to ?nd a wide audience.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gérard Gengembre, professor at the University of Caen (Normandy), specializes in 19th-century literature and the relationship between literature, politics, and ideology.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Vendome Press (October 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865652333
• ISBN-13: 978-0865652330
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,600,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sumptous, Beautifully Crafted Visual Guide to Naploen, October 1, 2004

By 

Jeffrey Morseburg (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor (Hardcover)

"Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor" is a sumptuous exploration of the life and legacy of the French Emperor. This is not a conventional biography, of which there are many, but a thematic exploration of Napoleon through images with explanatory text. While I lost whatever boyhood infatuation I had with Napoleon and learned to view him in the context of the terrible costs inflicted on the French nation and their unfortunate opponents in his long wars of conquest, an epoch was named for him and the arts reflected the glory he achieved. Even the decorative arts were inspired by his conquest and "Empire Style" with echoes of the Near East he conquered was born. Napoleon lived at a time when France was the artistic capital of the world and artists like Jacques Louis David, Baron Gros and Anne-Louise Girodet immortalized him. After his death, in a nation that never again stood astride Europe in the same way, the cult of Bonaparte lived on. Later in the 19th Century, the great military artists of France - Ernst Messionier and Edouard Detaille - continued to paint Napoleon and his soldiers. When his grandson, Napoleon III was the French autocrat, the Empire style was revived and paintings of Napleon's days of glory were purchased for the state. Finally, in the 20th Century he became the subject for countless films and this legacy is given the same visual exploration in the volume. This vivid exploration of Napoleon - the man and the myth - is written by Gerald Gengembre who is a professor of French literature at the University of Caen in Normandy. He has assembled several hundred illustrations, each annotated with relevant detail so that he reveals each facet of the man and history's interpretation of him. This large book will be of interest not only to those with a fascination with Napoleon and his time, but to those with an interest in beautifully crafted paintings and French culture.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vive L'Empereur!!!! Vive La France!!!!, April 26, 2004

By 

Alberich (MANASSAS, VIRGINIA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor (Hardcover)

Simply, THIS BOOK ROCKS!!!!......This is for ALL of us who dream of the Emperor reviewing the Old Guard, with Berthier, Davout, Lannes, etc. at his side....This is the perfect & ultimate illustrated companion for David Chandler's "Campaigns of Napoleon", which is the Bible on the Napoleonic Wars! ..The third section of the book which is devoted to the Emperor's Legend and Legacy is worth the price of the book alone, illustrations galore!!...There are two pages of photos, illustrations and text giving the lowdown on the topic of the Emperor's 'little hat'...He purchased over 160 hats from only one merchant in Paris!...So do not hesitate to purchase this wonder of a time machine!.....You will NOT regret it!.....

8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good pictorial book, no more, July 19, 2004

By 

danny boy "dbswongv" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Napoleon: The Immortal Emperor (Hardcover)

For the diehard Napoleonic fan, this book is NOT the bible on Napoleonic lore. It is filled with good looking pictures (not great looking pictures) and is a nice companion to delve into on Napoleonic poetry, social mores, the legend and various films on Napoleon. Really, a potted history.