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.
