Histoire de l'Empereur Napoleon 1839

Curator: Well, first impression, it looks…old. Is it meant to look quite so brown? Editor: Indeed. What you are seeing here is a page spread from Horace Vernet's "Histoire de l'Empereur Napoléon", dated 1839. This particular version utilizes colored pencil and print. You'll find it residing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Curator: Vernet. So this isn’t just some dry historical record then; there's definitely a narrative, like a stage play on the page. I see Napoleon with what seems like an army in tow. What's going on here? Editor: That's precisely it. The work embodies elements of history painting and, perhaps more directly, narrative art, reconstructing key moments from Napoleon’s life in, shall we say, dramatic fashion. Take notice of the lines, how the artist directs your sight. Curator: So much drama packed in! All those tiny figures caught up in what seems to be perpetual movement. It's pretty cool. I suppose it’s not so small for its day? Editor: Precisely. Vernet employs dynamic composition and strong diagonal lines to pull us right into the historical scene. It’s also designed as a color print that may have, originally, appealed to a wider audience. We often forget that graphic art was as significant for popular culture as painting. Curator: Ah, the Instagram of its time! The pyramids looming in the background feel a bit stereotypical, though, right? I wonder what the intent of an artwork of this scale in this medium would be? Editor: An informed skepticism is never unwarranted when engaging such depictions of powerful figures from any era! This might well speak to a broader romanticism of the past combined with an intent to teach—or maybe subtly influence! Curator: Well, after closer inspection I am impressed by the energy and detail. All in all, I think it holds up rather well. Editor: I'd concur, serving both as an artifact and a demonstration of crafted skill in visual story-telling, indeed.