“Apotheosis of Napoléon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Republic”
Constance Meyer and Pierre-Paul Prudhon - 1803
Napoléon understood the value of controlling his image and using the arts to instill respect and admiration for himself and his policies. As if a conquering Roman general, the Consul stands on a chariot with a laurel crown on his head, symbolizing the passage from the Republic to the Empire era. The young women’s items represent both victory and death, joy and sorrow.
