Artwork
the Battle of Lodi, 10th May 1796, detail of Napoleon (1769-1821) and his staff, by Louis Lejeune
the Battle of Lodi, 10th May 1796, detail of Napoleon (1769-1821) and his staff, by Louis Lejeune is an oil painting by Baron Lejeune Louis-François. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
About this work
Overview
Louis‑François Lejeune, a French officer who served in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, produced an oil on canvas in 1804 that depicts a fragment of the Battle of Lodi on 10 May 1796. The painting concentrates on Napoleon Bonaparte and his staff amid the fighting, and it is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a turbulent riverside clash: cavalry thrust forward in the foreground while wounded men lie scattered. A bridge spans the water in the distance, linking the two banks and suggesting the strategic crossing contested by the French forces under Napoleon’s command.
Technique & Style
Lejeune employs a vigorous, history‑painting approach, using strong contrasts of light and dark to model figures and emphasize the billowing smoke. The palette of muted earth tones punctuated by bright highlights conveys the immediacy of combat and the chaotic atmosphere of the battlefield.
History & Provenance
Created shortly after the events it portrays, the work reflects Lejeune’s personal experience as a participant in the campaign. After his military career, he pursued lithography and politics, later being commemorated on the Arc de Triomphe. The canvas entered the Versailles collection as part of the state’s effort to document Napoleonic victories.
Context
The Battle of Lodi was a key early success for the young general who would become Emperor. Lejeune’s rendering aligns with the French tradition of glorifying contemporary military achievements, serving both as visual record and as propaganda supporting the emerging Napoleonic regime.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Brigade-General Louis-François, Baron Lejeune (3 February 1775 – 29 February 1848) was a French Army officer, painter, lithographer and politician who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
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