The Coronation of Napoleon

The Coronation of Napoleon is one of the largest paintings in the Louvre, measuring a massive 10 x 6 m.

It took 2 years to complete and now appears in almost every French history book.

The painting was commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his coronation.

It features over 200 different people.

David first sketched the most important guests at the ceremony. He then invited them to pose for him in his studio - creating miniature wax figures of them, which he then transposed onto the canvas.

Fun fact : David also took some liberties with the painting.

He included Napoleon's mother, "Madame Mère", in the gallery, for instance - despite the fact that she wasn't present at the ceremony.

He also sneaked himself into the scene - as the young man in the gallery!

The painting also illustrates how Napoleon both embraced and subverted the traditional symbols of the monarchy in his crowning ceremony.

Indeed, on the one hand he leaned into the monarchical tradition - by using a crown, holding the ceremony in the cathedral of Notre-Dame, and inviting the pope.

However, on the other, he made the provocative gesture of crowning himself and his wife, Josephine - relegating the pope to a mere spectator.

Fun fact : the original version of the painting actually depicted Napoleon crowning himself.

However, the gesture was deemed too provocative and was later painted over!