Portret van de kunstenaar Dominique Vivant Denon 1820

This is a print of Dominique Vivant Denon, made by Julien-Léopold Boilly. Denon lived through the French Revolution, became a trusted advisor to Napoleon, and was appointed as the first director of the Louvre Museum in 1802. The image itself tells us a lot about Denon’s status within French society. He is referred to as Le Baron Denon, showing his aristocratic status, and his membership of the Legion of Honour indicates his loyalty to Napoleon. His association with the Institut Royal de France, and specifically Académie des Beaux-Arts, demonstrates the importance of institutional affiliation for artists and cultural figures at this time. During Denon's time as director, the Louvre became a site for showcasing art seized during the Napoleonic Wars, highlighting the museum's role as a space for political propaganda. By looking at sources such as letters, institutional archives, and social histories, we can appreciate the complex social and political forces that influenced the art world in France at this time.