14 February 2006

My "Napoleonic Web Site of the Week"

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c.1817 Napoleon 1st at St. Helena

Source:
Brown University Library

...Click on drop down menu to view their brilliant collection of Napoleonic cartoons titled, Napoleonic Satires. Then click "Browse". This will take you to a page to view 423 cartoons from the period. Click on an image and the cartoon literally comes to life! Voila!

As a former cartoonist for a UK national magazine, they are not only superbly drawn but extremely evocative of the time...to quote from the site, "Considered with other forms of military memorabilia, satiric prints serve as a reminder that printed images were effectively used as a weapon of sorts. As such, satires made in Britain and continental Europe that depict Napoleon as a diminutive brat combat Napoleon's self-constructed imperial image as a powerful god-like ruler. Satires such as these participate in a broad conversation that spans genres to suggest that the official French images of Napoleon are no more authentic or permanent than the satiric image. To this day Napoleon's imperial image is popularly conflated with his satirical representation - namely his short stature, which is largely a satiric invention."

I envisage some of these images augmenting many a Napoleonic web site in the foreseeable future!
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey JC,

I really like BOTH styles! Keep up the good work.

Do you think you will be doing other armies and periods of the Napoleonic Wars? I could really use some help with post 1812 Russians.

Larry
Kansas USA