Napoleon Bonaparte - C. Vernet 1850

📜 Description
Original engraving dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, taken from the publication “Campagnes des Français sous le Consulat et Empire (...)”, issued in Paris around 1850 by Dauphine after a design by C. Vernet and engraved by J. Couché. The composition presents a central portrait of the emperor in military uniform within an ornamental medallion, flanked by two facsimile reproductions of the signatures “Buonaparte” and “Bonaparte”, all enclosed within an elaborate neoclassical decorative framework enriched with floral motifs, medallions, and allegorical figures. The lower inscription “Napoleon Bonaparte né à Ajaccio en Corse le 15 Aout 1769” clearly identifies the subject while reinforcing the celebratory and documentary purpose of the print, conceived as an iconographic tribute to the political and military figure of the French emperor. The work combines historical function and decorative value through a highly symmetrical and ornamental structure characteristic of nineteenth-century publications devoted to the Napoleonic epic. The inclusion of reproduced autograph signatures together with the central portrait gives the antique print particular collectible interest, placing it within the broad iconographic repertoire developed in France after the Imperial period.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Carle Vernet (1758–1836), also known as C. Vernet, was one of the leading French painters and illustrators active between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, especially renowned for military scenes, equestrian subjects, and imagery connected with Napoleonic history. His compositions achieved wide circulation through engravings and illustrated publications dedicated to the campaigns of the French Empire. The present plate belongs to the series “Campagnes des Français sous le Consulat et Empire (...)”, an editorial project conceived to celebrate the military achievements and historical image of Napoleon through portraits, scenes, and documentary illustrations intended for a cultivated and collectible audience. J. Couché’s engraving translates Vernet’s design into an elegant and richly decorative composition typical of mid-nineteenth-century French publishing production.

🧾 Technical Sheet
Type: original engraving
Author / Manufacture: C. Vernet
Designer / Engraver: J. Couché
Publisher / Printer: Dauphine, Paris
Place: Paris
Period: 1850
Material: paper
Technique: etching
Subject / Title: “Napoleon Bonaparte né à Ajaccio en Corse le 15 Aout 1769”
Edition / Print Run: from “Campagnes des Français sous le Consulat et Empire (...)”
Dimensions: sheet 28.5 × 44 cm; engraving 14 × 33.5 cm
Marks / Signatures / Inscriptions: inscription “Napoleon Bonaparte né à Ajaccio en Corse le 15 Aout 1769”; facsimile signatures “Buonaparte” and “Bonaparte” integrated within the composition

🔍 Condition Report
Excellent overall condition. Sheet well preserved with only minimal age-related wear consistent with period and typology. Sharp impression with decorative details perfectly clear and legible.