MODERN PLAQUE

1801

A cast lead plaque commemorating Napoleon Bonaparte. It is unclear what the plaque may have originally been attached to, as there are no obvious areas of attachment on the front or rear, and the plaque appears to be complete, although it has been bent out of shape. The bottom of the plaque is adorned with fleurs running in a horizontal line, whilst the top has a line of larger trefoils, perhaps also intended to be fleur de lis. The left of the plaque is decorated with an eagle with wings outstretched, perched on a rectangular base. To the right of this is a depiction of Napoleon on horseback riding to the left. This equestrian depiction of Napoleon is almost an exact copy of the famous paintings of Bonaparte crossing the Alps, painted by Jacques-Louis David between 1801 and 1805 AD, and the plaque evidently celebrates this image of Napoleon. The Eagle was adopted by Napoleon as his standard, and this explains the presence of the eagle on this plaque.The David painting became a very famous representation of Bonaparte, and it has often been emulated. The liklihood is that this plaque is significantly later than the date of the painting, and it may date from the mid to late 19th century or even early 20th century.