please click on this image to read more about the background to this piece
please click on this image to see it magnified
The Inspiration behind the design:
Rise and Fall of Empire
Napoleon Bonapart is
the inspiration behind
this piece.
And on one sleeve, is traced the wording of the surrender letter Napoleon wrote to The Prince Regent in 1815. Both were done using red transfer paper.
On one pocket is the tracing of a letter Napoleon wrote to Josephine on learning of her pregnancy, which turned out not to be real.
Whilst the French army wore blue Napoleon can be seen wearing red in several paintings of him at rest or in positions of state. This is: Napoleon as First Consul, by Antoine-Jean Gros, 1802
This is Major General Destaing's habit from 1798. In use between 1798 and 1803.
This dress of Destaing is very close to the dress of Bonaparte worn at the battle of Marengo.
The third reason that this frockcoat is red as well as the primary inspiration for the surface decoration of The Rise and Fall of Empire was: Napoleon's Cloak (Burnous) 1797 - 1805 (Felt, silk, silk brocade, silver thread, braid, tinsel. It is owned today by The Royal Collection Trust, please click this button to view it on their site:
Blood: "Concerning the French losses due to the Napoleonic wars, I know that historians are the first to say that they are very difficult to evaluate. I read somewhere that the Fondation Napoléon estimated the losses at between 400,000 and 1 million dead, with a reasonable estimate of 700,000 dead."
- written by Thibault de NOBLET, Adjoint de conservatio, Département Moderne, Musée de l’Armée
Rise and Fall of Empire was designed alongside Admiral Sir Robert Smart and Fading Glory and with two chalked floor designs, in the
Regency tradition for the pieces to stand upon.
For the British and French frockcoats the chalked floor design is called Roiling, to suggest the political turmoil of this era.
The sea between Britain and France is portrayed in the style of a Japanese woodcut as Japan was closed off from the rest of the world during this period. Admiral Sir Robert Smart is shown standing on a British military epaulette and Rise and Fall of Empire is shown standing on a French military epaulette.
original sketch © Stephanie Smart
Images by Ray Sullivan