Artwork
Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, later Marshal and Marquis of Empire
Laurent Gouvion Saint-Cyr, later Marshal and Marquis of Empire is an oil painting by Georges Rouget. It dates from 1835 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles. Georges Roulet’s 1835 oil portrait presents Laurent Gouvian Saint‑Cyr, later elevated to Marshal and Marquis of the Empire.
About this work
Overview
Georges Roulet’s 1835 oil portrait presents Laurent Gouvian Saint‑Cyr, later elevated to Marshal and Marquis of the Empire. Executed in the early nineteenth‑century French academic tradition, the work now belongs to the collection of the Palace of Versailles, where it contributes to the museum’s assemblage of imperial portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas shows Saint‑Cyr in full military attire, his dark, wavy hair framing a thoughtful expression. He wears a white cravat, a dark jacket adorned with gold‑buttoned epaulettes, and gazes upward, suggesting contemplation of duty or destiny. The subdued landscape background, capped by a pale sky, reinforces a tone of quiet reflection rather than overt triumph.
Technique & Style
Roulet employs a restrained palette of deep blues, muted earth tones, and metallic highlights to render the uniform’s texture and the sitter’s features. The brushwork is smooth and precise, characteristic of academic portraiture, while the soft modeling of light across the face creates a subtle three‑dimensionality.
History & Provenance
Completed in 1835, the portrait entered the royal collection shortly after its creation and has remained at Versailles. Its placement among other imperial figures underscores Saint‑Cyr’s significance within the Napoleonic hierarchy and the subsequent Bourbon restoration’s interest in preserving that legacy.
Context
Saint‑Cyr’s career spanned the Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic campaigns, and the Restoration, culminating in his appointment as Marshal and Marquis. Roulet, a court painter, frequently depicted military leaders, and this work reflects the period’s emphasis on dignified, state‑sanctioned representation of high‑ranking officers.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Napoleon I presents the King of Rome to the dignitaries of the Empire, March 20, 1811
Alexandre-François Marie, viscount of Beauharnais, general-in-chief of the army of the Rhine
Victor-Guy, admiral-baron Duperré
Mort de Saint Louis devant Tunis, 25 août 1270
Saint Louis rendant la justice sous le chêne de Vincennes, 1260
Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont, lieutenant d'état-major d'artillerie en 1792 (1774-1852)
Mise of Amiens, 1264
Bertrand Clauzel (1772-1842)
