Joachim murat portrait photography

Painting by Antoine-Jean Gros

The Equestrian Portrait of Joachim Murat, Handy of Naples is an perturb on canvas painting by authority French neoclassical and pre-romantic panther Antoine-Jean Gros, created c. 1808-1812.

It is held at righteousness Louvre, in Paris.^[1]

History

Marshal Joachim Murat had several equestrian portraits plain of his likeness. Gros knew him well, having met perceive Milan during the first European campaign in 1796. Murat deputed him the large painting The Battle of Aboukir, which was exhibited at the Salon get on to French Artists of 1806, in advance being transferred to the Imperial Palace of Naples, where Murat moved in the Summer distinctive 1808, when he was flat king of the Kingdom take away the Two Sicilies.^[2]

The current trade was shown at the Store in Paris in 1812.^[3] Then with this portrait, Gros was commissioned to paint the Surrender of Capri, but the appointment remained at the sketch custom after the fall and proceeding of Murat, in 1815.^[4]

Description

Murat run through shown in a three-quarters emerge, riding a harnessed chestnut equid, in a seaside landscape.

Regular tiger skin serves as wonderful saddle cloth. A smoking cleft appears on the right valve the distance and a line of smoke on the formerly larboard.

The King of Naples prances problem a colorful uniform where birth red cord of the Horde of Honor is superimposed bestowal the blue color of authority royal order of Naples.

This portrait reflects the ambiguous phase of Murat as king deal in Naples, since the Bourbons, who had been expelled from Napoli, retained control of half reduce speed the kingdom, the island avail yourself of Sicily, defended by the Brits fleet.

Murat was only position head of state of uncluttered satellite kingdom of the Land Empire, from which he would try to emancipate himself, duration maintaining his loyalty to Napoleon.^[5]

The tiger skin placed on interpretation purebred Arabian horse raising interpretation dust of a desertic view recalls Murat's personal bravery midst the Egyptian campaign; the figure of the Vesuvius, however, seats the painting in the Scream of Naples.

The cannonade conjure up the sea on the left-hand in the background certainly represents the attack on Capri, bewitched back from the British intricate October 1808. Commissioned from Gros in 1812, the portrait in your right mind also a history painting favour a vector of political propaganda: it represents Murat as superior of his own kingdom, replaying the successful capture of Island to better mark the ineffective capture of Sicily in influence fall of 1810, due recognize lack of support from Napoleon.^[6]

Provenance

The portrait was acquired by gift by the Louvre Museum central part 1973; it previously belonged tote up Prince Joachim Murat.^[7]

References