Saint Napoleon 1843

Saint Napoleon. Coloured lithograph (?), 1843. Date [1843] About this work Description Saint Napoleon, canonised in 1805 and identified by Cardinal Caprara (legate of Pope Pius VII, but under strong pressure from Napoléon Bonaparte) with an ancient martyr, Neopolis of Alexandria. In France under the First and Second Empires his feast was celebrated on 15 August, but suppressed on the restoration of the monarchy. He was the patron saint of soldiers and Bonapartists. The present print is the only image of him recorded by Réau, loc. cit. He is portrayed as a crusader wearing full body-armour and holding a sword and shield. Behind him are a citadel and the bodies of two dead opponents. Around is a border of flowers with harp-playing angels Publication/Creation Épinal : Fabrique de Pellerin, imprimeur libraire, [1843] Physical description 1 print Lettering Saint Napoléon, patron des guerriers. Prière. O Dieu fort et puisssant, protecteur des armées … le glorieux Saint Napoléon … Ainsi soit-il. Wellcome Library.

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