rhyssain – Page 4 – French Travel Boutique

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Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau was the only royal residence to have been continuously used for seven centuries. During the French Revolution it became a school and later Napoleon converted it to a military school. On becoming Emperor, Napoleon had the chateau restored. He had decided all the royal chateaux would now become imperial chateaux. The refurbishment was completed in a few months to have it ready to accommodate the Pope who came to Paris at the end of 1804 to attend Napoleon’s coronation as Emperor. Napoleon met the Pope at Fontainebleau, his last stop on the way. They stayed at the chateau for three days before going on to Paris. (The pope would later return there as Napoleon’s prisoner between 1812 and 1814 when he occupied the sumptuous former apartments of Anne of Austria, Louis XIV’s mother but that’s another story) Napoleon did not like the public performance of the former kings’ bedchamber. He converted the King’s bedroom into a throne room and set up his official bedchamber in the former private apartments of Louis XVI. Next to his official bedchamber, Napoleon had a smaller bedchamber which doubled as an office. He commissioned a special mechanical desk with a top which could slide across in an instant. A small bed was placed there. It was the same sort of bed used on the field of battle, covered in green taffeta. Napoleon had a small salon next to this study/bedchamber. He signed his abdication in 1814 in this small salon (the original furniture including the table he signed on are still there). Beyond that, Napoleon had a bathroom installed. The tin plated copper bath was covered in muslin. It is original, as well as the mahogany chairs. In 1810, Napoleon decided to extend his private apartment, taking over the rooms on the ground floor beneath his official apartment on the “noble” (first) floor. He moved the bed he had on the first floor in his official bedchamber . The bed and chairs which were placed in the new private bedroom downstairs were originally at the Tuileries palace. They are covered in velvet and reflect the taste for Egyptian style at the time. Napoleon’s ground floor apartment could be directly accessed by a spiral staircase which led to his new personal library. Napoleon was a big reader and took books in chests with him when he went to battle. Each of his residences had a library. The books are original from the time of Napoleon in 1810. The Fontainebleau library doubled as an office. Napoleon’s private secretary, Baron de Méneval would take dictation standing behind the desk. Napoleon had employed Bourrienne, a school friend from the military school in Champagne as his private secretary when he was first put in charge of the Army of Italy. When Bourrienne was compromised in a fraudulent business transaction, Napoleon replaced him with 24 year old Claude-François de Méneval in 1802. Méneval travelled with Napoleon wherever he went. Napoleon made him a baron in 1810. He remained loyal to Napoleon right through to the end. Napoleon regarded him as a “treasure”. In his will Napoleon remembered him as zealous, discreet and prepared to work at any hour. He said: “He never gave me anything but satisfaction and was always agreeable and I loved him very much.” He left him 100,000 francs. Méneval lived in a chateau and became the local mayor. He was in Paris at the ceremony returning Napoleon’s remains from Saint Helena in 1840.

Empress' Bed Chamber at the Grand Trianon

Less than a minute

Tuileries Palace

Napoleon’s original bed from the Tuileries is now displayed in the Empress’ bedchamber in the Grand Trianon at Versailles. In 1816 Louis XVIII replaced the winged eagles on the bedhead, a symbol closely associated with Napoleon, with horns of abundance. Napoleon’s “N” in the centre of the bedhead was also replaced. It is now showing Louis Philippe’s initials. Throughout his reign, Napoleon’s chief residence was the Tuileries Palace. In 1808 Napoleon had his official bedchamber completely redecorated. The ceiling was decorated with grisailles depicting Jupiter, Mars, Apollo and Minerva. Red silk damask decorated with poppies covered the walls. The new bed and all the furniture was gilded wood. It is interesting to see that Napoleon’s architect Percier designed the grand bed in the same style as the beds under the former monarchy. Unlike the Empire beds were placed parallel to the wall, this grand bed “à la duchesse”was designed to be at right angles to the wall. The canopy and curtains of the bed were in white satin decorated with gold stars. Napoleon’s bed was reused by Louis XVIII and Louis Philippe and his wife Marie-Amelie. (See “A Shared Bed”)

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Les Invalides

Napoleon was a military man with simple tastes, probably most at home in his campaign camp bed (which can be seen at Les Invalides). Napoleon normally travelled with a leopard skin rug. The one displayed at Les Invalides is original and was with Napoleon on the 1812 campaign to Russia. The leopard skin rugs were popular and feature in the Empress’ boudoir and Napoleon’s bathroom at the Grand Trianon. A marble statue of Napoleon dressed in his coronation outfit overlooks his final resting place at Les Invalides. He died in exile in 1821, His body was returned to France in 1840. Architect Louis Visconti created a tomb for Napoleon under the dome in the former royal chapel at Les Invalides by going six meters below ground level. Napoleon’s surprisingly well preserved body is inside the red quartzite tomb which contains five coffins—the first in tin plate, the second in mahogany, two in lead and the final one in ebony. The statue of Napoleon overlooking the main courtyard at Les Invalides was one of three which had been on top of the column at Place Vendôme. The original, destroyed in 1814, depicted him dressed as a Roman emperor. Louis Philippe erected this statue at the top of the column in 1833. Thirty years later when Napoleon III was in power, he replaced it with Napoleon once again in Roman garb.

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Malmaison

Initially at Malmaison Napoleon slept in Josephine’s bed but later had a bedroom installed above his office and council chamber. The actual room was half the size of the room as it is now displayed. The bed displayed is original from the time. It belonged to Josephine’s son Eugène at the Tuileries . The rest of the mahogany furniture dates from Napoleon’s time as Premier Consul and was either at the Tuileries or Saint Cloud. It has been covered in fine yellow cashmere trimmed with black braid as it was originally, according to the archives. The walls are now covered with striped silk. In Napoleon’s time it was striped muslin. All of Napoleon’s bedrooms have a round pedestal table or “gueridon”. The portrait of Napoleon in his bedroom is by artist Bacler d’Albé who had been present at the siege of Toulon, which established Napoleon’s military reputation. He also accompanied him to Italy where Napoleon used his artistic skills, making him an officer of geography and cartography. He was present at Napoleon’s victory at Arcole and this painting dates from then, when Napoleon was 27. The artist Isabey painted this portrait of Napoleon in the garden of Malmaison the year after he moved in. It was presented at the Salon the following year. Isabey said: “This was the first standing portrait I made of General Bonaparte. I watching him pacing all day long alone in the park, his hands behind his back, absorbed in his thoughts; it was easy for me to catch his pensive expression and turn of his body. When I had finished the portrait, I presented it to the general. He was pleased with the resemblance and congratulated me on having been able to work in this way, without having to have the model stand in a pose”. It was this pose, with Napoleon bicorne hat and his hand inside the waistcoat of his uniform which would be handed down to posterity.

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Grand Trianon

The walls and Corinthian columns date from the time Louis XIV occupied this bed chamber. When Napoleon had the apartment decorated for his mother, the bedroom was divided into two rooms, with the room on the other side of the columns as an anti chamber/salon. It remained like that during the time of Marie-Louise. Marie-Louise stayed there for the first time four months after arriving in France. The following year she and Napoleon returned for series of events.

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The Boudoir

The boudoir at the Grand Trianon had originally been decorated for Napoleon’s mother in 1805. Napoleon had ordered the Sèvres vase on the mantlepiece for her then. The year of the divorce Josephine had started ordering furniture for the Grand Trianon. She ordered a sofa, a wing chair, four chairs , fire screen and two footstools. She also moved the mahogany desk she originally had at the Paris residence she lived in when she first met Napoleon. Josephine did not get to use any of it. She did not stay overnight at the Grand Trianon before the divorce. The boudoir was used by Napoleon’s new wife Marie-Louise who ordered the mahogany tapestry loom with its bronze decoration for this boudoir. Josephine had ordered this mahogany drop leaf writing desk from Jacob Frères for her residence in Paris the year she married Napoleon. Before leaving for Egypt in 1798 Napoleon bought the house (Josephine had been renting it). In 1805 he gave the house to his cousin Stephanie and one of his officers, Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes as a wedding gift. Josephine’s desk went into storage until being sent to the Grand Trianon to be placed in the boudoir.

2 Mins Read

Petit Trianon

Napoleon originally gave the Petit Trianon to his favourite sister Pauline. When he married Marie-Louise, he decided she should have it. He thought it would be appropriate as she was Marie-Antoinette’s great niece. In fact, Marie-Louise loved the Petit Trianon, not because of its association with her tragic relative, but because it reminded her of the Chateau of Laxenbourg in Austria, a smaller private castle in Austria where she and her brothers and sisters spent time with her father. Like the Petit Trianon, it also had an English Garden, Temple of Diana and so on. Marie-Louise moved into Marie-Antoinette’s bedchamber which she had completely redecorated. The simple boiserie walls from Marie-Antoinette’s time were no longer visible. The ceiling was covered with white satin and gold lame coming from a central gold dome. The wall covering was sky blue satin with gold braid, the same fabric as on the bed and furniture. The window curtains were white muslin embroidered with gold. The bed and furniture were gilded wood. The bed was decorated with swan’s necks (a little reminiscent of Josephine’s new bed at Malmaison) and the bed’s exterior sky blue silk curtains were held back by gilded winged figures. It was very similar to the Empress’ bed in Compiègne. Compared with Marie-Antoinette’s simple furniture in the bedroom, it was OTT and far too grand for the setting. Marie-Louise did not disappoint Napoleon and delivered the much hoped for son and heir less than 12 months after their first meeting at Compiègne. Napoleon chose to celebrate their wedding and the birth of their son with the “Fête” of the Empress in August 1811 at the Petit Trianon with a gala dinner at the Grand Trianon. Marie-Antoinette’s theatre had been restored and there was an play and ballet performed there. The Hamlet had also been restored. Napoleon and Marie-Louise were able to walk around the garden which was filled with the sound of music. Napoleon’s plan to restore Versailles as an imperial residence was back in focus. New silk was ordered from Lyon and a new apartment for the “Children of France” was planned. Being married to Marie-Antoinette’s niece and having a son and heir—Napoleon was prepared to launch a new era for Versailles. He would not have enough time to make it happen. *When Louis Philippe’s new daughter-in-law, the Duchess of Orleans took over the Petit Trianon more than 20 years later, she re-used the furniture from Marie-Louise’ bedroom with the exception of the bed, which was sent to the Tuileries Palace. She recovered the sky blue and gold upholstery with the blue which is currently displayed.

Marie-Louise_of_Austria,_Duchess_of_Parma

2 Mins Read

After Napoleon

Initially when Napoleon was exiled on Elba, he assumed Marie-Louise would join him there with their son. To be fair, she planned to. Her father, the Austrian Emperor, organised for her to initially return to Austria. The events leading up to Napoleon’s abdication and the journey back to Austria took their toll on Marie-Louise and her father gave her permission to go to the spa town of Aix-les-Bains. Knowing she fully intended to join Napoleon, her father took precautions. He organised for a trusted General, Count von Niepperg, to accompany her to ensure she did not follow through. Von Niepperg knew exactly what was expected. He predicted that he would be Marie-Louise’ best friend within six weeks and her lover within six months. In fact, they became lovers within three months and any thought of joining Napoleon was over. Part of the treaty following Napoleon’s abdication was that Marie-Louise would become the Duchess of Parma (in northern Italy) in her own right. Napoleon’s return to France for the Hundred Days complicated this but finally after his second exile to Saint Helena, Marie-Louise left Austria to take her new role as the Duchess of Parma. It was less than two weeks before her son’s fifth birthday. Niepperg went with her. Her son was left in Austria with his grandfather. Niepperg became the Governor of Parma. Marie-Louise gave birth to a daughter and a son. They were illegitimate and could not live at the palace with her. Her father in Austria was fully aware of the situation. Her son by Napoleon was not. After a two year absence, she returned to Vienna for a two month visit. She did not see “Franz” again for two years, a pattern she maintained. Shortly after receiving the news that Napoleon had died on Saint Helena, Marie-Louise married Niepperg and their children were able to move into the palace. (They were officially his children, because her status would not allow recognition of the illegitimate children). Niepperg died eight years later. Napoleon’s son was finally told by his grandfather what had actually been going on and that he had a half brother and half sister. He stopped writing to his mother, whom he described as “good but weak”. When her son fell gravely ill in Austria Marie-Louise returned in time to be with him when he died. Back in Parma, she had taken a number of lovers after the death of Niepperg. Two years after the death of her son in Austria, Marie-Louise secretly married for a third time. Her new husband, a French officer who had served in the Austrian army governed the Duchy of Parma as Grand Chamberlain. They were married for 13 years. Marie-Louise became ill on her 56th birthday and died five days later. In spite of periods of political turmoil, her administration of Parma is generally well regarded.

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Fontainebleau

Madame de Montesquiou ordered another rocking cradle in elm wood trimmed with laurels (the Roman emblem of victory). As usual, the fabric was green, which was regarded as soothing, creating the ideal tranquil setting for sleep. Smaller folding cradles were used for taking Napoleon’s son from one chateau to another. The King of Rome’s travels started very early. His christening took place in Paris before he was three months old. It was followed by celebrations at the Palace of Saint Cloud, complete with dances, concerts, theatre performances, music and fireworks. The following months there were celebrations at the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon at Versailles. From there, the five month old King of Rome was taken to the Imperial Palace of Compiègne where a new apartment had been prepared for him. The Chateau of Fontainebleau

4 Mins Read

Napoleon II

Eight months after the King of Rome’s first—and only– stay at Compiègne, Napoleon headed off for the ill-fated campaign in Russia. The relatively tranquil era which was literally the honeymoon period with Marie-Louise, followed by the birth of the King of Rome, was over. For the next two years Napoleon was at war. On January 24, 1814 when Napoleon said goodbye to his wife and son at the Tuileries Palace in Paris, he had no idea he would never see them again. This portrait of Napoleon’s son in the Tuileries Garden is another work by Georges Rouget. It was with Napoleon at Saint Helena until he died when it went to Napoleon’s mother in Rome. She bequeathed it to her half brother Cardinal Joseph Fesch. When the cardinal died in Rome, he bequeathed 1000 paintings from his collection to the town of Ajaccio in Corsica, Napoleon’s birthplace. They set up the Fesch Museum where the portrait of the King of Rome is displayed. Two months later Paris capitulated to the coalition forces (Russia, Prussia, Austria, Great Britain, Spain and Portugal). Napoleon initially abdicated in favour of his son on April 4. This was unacceptable by the victors, who included Marie-Louise’ father the Austrian Emperor. Two days later Napoleon was forced to abdicate on behalf of himself and his heirs. He was sent into exile on the island of Elba, where he expected to be joined by his wife and three year old son. Marie-Louise’ father, convinced her to return to Austria with her son. Initially she had every intention of joining Napoleon. The King of Rome with his governess Madame de Montesquiou and a handful of her staff accompanied the child to Austria. The following year when news reached Austria of Napoleon’s return to France, there were fears his son would be taken back to him. Madame de Montesquiou was sent back to France, leaving only her assistant Madame Soufflot, whose 16 year old daughter Fanny who had been a companion and playmate of Napoleon’s son from the beginning and his nurse, Madame Marchand. When Napoleon’s second reign of the “Hundred Days” was terminated with the defeat at Waterloo he agreed to abdicate a second time, but one of the conditions he negotiated with the provisional government in Paris was that he would be succeeded by his son. The unofficial reign of Napoleon II lasted a couple of weeks, with the child unaware of the situation as he was in Austria. The only impact would be that later Napoleon’s nephew would rule as Napoleon III in recognition of the “reign” of Napoleon II. Madame Soufflot and Fanny managed to stay with the child, who was now known at the Austrian court as “Franz” (his second name, after his grandfather) for about 18 months until they were wrongly accused of trying to help a plot to abduct the child and return him to France. Less than six months later after the departure of Madame Soufflot and Fanny, Marie-Louise left Austria to take up residence in Italy as the Duchess of Parma. She went with her lover, but left her son in Austria where he was to be brought up in his grandfather’s household. The King of Rome’s nurse Madame Marchand was forced to return to France. She had slept with the child every night since he had been born. As a parting gift, Marie-Louise gave her this portrait painted by Jean-Baptiste Isabey, one of eight she commissioned from the artist. It is now part of the collection at Malmaison. Two years later the Austrian Emperor made his grandson the Duke of Reichstadt. His tutors were military men and he was clearly Napoleon’s son. He excelled at mathematics and was interested in history. He officially joined the Austrian army as a cadet when he was 12. With Napoleon’s death on Saint Helena in 1821, the Bonapartists regarded his son as the heir to the imperial throne. He was a permanent threat to the monarchies of Europe, particularly the restored Bourbon monarchy, who were concerned about his possible return to France. He not only shared his father’s passion for the army but he was the ideal figurehead, being a very handsome young man, more than seven inches taller than his father had been. However it was not meant to be. From the age of 17 he had problems with his chest and lungs. A warmer climate would have helped, but no one was interested in letting him out of Austria. His health continued to deteriorate and he lost a lot of weight. In 1832 Napoleon’s son fell ill with tuberculosis and died at the age of 21 at Schönnbrunn Palace. He was buried in the Hapburg’s chapel in Vienna. He had insisted that his grave would recognise him as the “Son of Napoleon”. The body of Napoleon’s son remained in Austria until the Second World War. In December 1940 Adolf Hitler made a short visit to Paris which included Les Invalides where Napoleon’s tomb takes pride of place. It was exactly 100 years since Napoleon’s body had been returned from Saint Helena. As a PR gesture, Hitler decided to return the King of Rome’s remains to be placed with his father. On the two hundredth anniversary of Napoleon’s birth, his son was buried downstairs near his father’s tomb, with a marble statue of Napoleon in his coronation robes overlooking him.