Emperor Napoleon I (1769-1821) c. 1807

Curator: Here we have Jacques-Louis David's portrait of "Emperor Napoleon I." It's a compelling image of power and authority. What are your immediate thoughts? Editor: The weight of all that velvet and gold embroidery! You can almost feel the labor involved in its creation, and how deliberately it's designed to overwhelm. Curator: Indeed. David, a master of Neoclassicism, was commissioned to portray Napoleon as a divinely appointed ruler, connecting him to the legacy of Roman emperors and French royalty. Editor: And it’s all carefully constructed, isn't it? The symbols of power – the scepter, the orb – become commodities themselves, displayed for consumption. Curator: Absolutely. David uses the visual language of empire to legitimize Napoleon’s reign after the revolution, a fascinating piece of image-making. Editor: It does make you consider the social cost of such displays of opulence, doesn't it? A lasting testament to the politics of spectacle.