A discussion of the influence of antiquty in the art and architecture produced during the reign of emperor Napoleon 1st

Abstract

This work examines the effect of antiquity on the production of art and architecture during Napoleon’s reign. Two ancient civilisations, Egypt and Rome, are used as examples of antiquity, chosen due to the expeditions led by Napoleon to Italy and Egypt prior to his reign. The effect of these expeditions on French cultural output is charted through selected examples that decorated Paris and the changes the city underwent as it became an Imperial capital. The first chapter considers the presentation of looted artwork in the Louvre. How specific ancient statues were displayed is explored in relation to Napoleon’s imperial dreams and French society’s Republican and subsequently Imperial redefinition. The second chapter studies the impact of the Egyptian expedition on Napoleonic art and architecture but also as a mode of forming cultural memory for French society during and after Napoleon’s reign. The final chapter disseminates how antiquity was translated onto monuments, focussing specifically on the Champs-Elysées axis. This leads to a brief discussion of the French restorations in Rome during the Napoleonic era. Conclusions are then drawn on the physical representation of antiquity and its use as mode of expression for French society in the years following the Revolution.