Sketchbook No. 20: Studies for "The Coronation of Napoleon" 1805 - 1824

Editor: Here we have Jacques-Louis David's Sketchbook No. 20, containing studies for "The Coronation of Napoleon." It is quite small, but the marbled cover and its green accents make it stand out. What is your take on this object? Curator: I see a fascinating interplay between the function of this sketchbook and its material qualities. The marbled paper, the binding, even the size, speak to a specific mode of artistic production in David’s time. What kind of labor and skill went into producing this object? Editor: That is very interesting. I had only thought of it in terms of its content. It is really cool to consider the sketchbook as a constructed object. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. And by understanding its construction, we gain insight into the artistic process itself, and the culture that supported it.