Bonaparte Crossing the Alps

Bonaparte Crossing the Alps
Artist	Paul Delaroche
Year	1850
Medium	Oil on canvas
Dimensions	289 cm × 222 cm (114 in × 87 in)
Location	St. James' Palace, London, England

Delaroche's picture of Napoleon crossing the Alps

Unconscious of the dreary wastes around, Of sleet that pierces with each fitful blast, The icy peaks, the rough and treacherous ground, Huge snow-drifts by the whirlwind's breath amassed, Through which the jaded mule with noiseless tread, Patient and slow, a certain foothold seeks, By the old peasant-guide so meekly led; Moves the wan conqueror, with sunken cheeks, O'er heights as cold and lonely as his soul,- The chill lips blandly set, and the dark eyes Intent with fierce ambition's vast control, Sad, keen and thoughtful of the distant prize; With the imperial robes and warlike steed, That face ne'er wore such blended might and need! — H.T. Tuckerman's poem, describing Delaroche's portrayal.

Bonaparte Crossing the Alps (also called Napoleon Crossing the Alps, despite the existence of another, more well-known painting with that name) is an 1848–1850oil-on-canvas portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, by French artist Paul Delaroche. The painting depicts Bonaparte leading his army through the Alps on a mule, a journey Napoleon and his army of soldiers made in the spring of 1800, in an attempt to surprise the Austrian army in Italy. The two main versions of this painting that exist are in the Louvre in Paris and the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, England. Queen Victoria also obtained a reduced version of it.

The work was inspired by Jacques-Louis David's series of five Napoleon Crossing the Alps paintings (1801–1805). David's works also show Napoleon's journey through the Great St. Bernard Pass, but there are significant stylistic differences between the two conceptions. Delaroche's Napoleon is cold and downcast, whereas David's wears a pristine uniform, and is idealized as a hero. Delaroche was commissioned to paint a realistic portrait; the style of which was emerging at the time.

While the painting largely represented—and was one of the pioneers of—an emerging style, the work was criticised by several authorities on the subject. The reasons for this varied from Delaroche's depiction of the scene to a general disapproval of Delaroche himself. Many of those who were in the latter state of mind felt that Delaroche was trying to match the genius of Napoleon in some way, and had failed miserably in doing so.

As part of his 1798 campaign during the French Revolutionary Wars, Napoleon prepared to invade and conquer Egypt, which was at the time a province of the Ottoman Empire. Such a military action promised numerous benefits, including securing French trade interests, and inhibiting British access to India. By 1 July 1798, Napoleon had landed on the shores of Egypt. After a lengthy chain of conflicts with heavy casualties, the campaign resulted in an Ottoman-British victory. Napoleon received news from France that Austrian forces had retaken Italy and he decided to return to Paris.

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