July 12, 2002

Le Vrai Père de l'Europe

Le père? Juillet.
Some history monthly at the newstands argues that Napoleon ought to be considered the real father of Europe.

Surely the first to conceive of a single "people" from Moscow to Lisbon.

I wondered after visiting the Invalides what the French really thought of their little emperor, and I think this is interesting evidence. This Sunday is Bastille Day, so I expect there will be some martial displays worth connecting back to the crusades across the Alps.

The image you see there is from the magazine, and a modestly doctored version of Jacques-Louis David's famous Academy portrait of Napoleon crossing the Alps with his army. "Calm, on a fiery steed" were Napoleon's instructions to the painter, perhaps from atop his actual mountain-crossing steed, a mule.

Posted by amol at July 12, 2002 11:46 AM
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