Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps
Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps is an equestrian portrait of a youthful black male painted by the contemporary artist Kehinde Wiley in 2005. It is based on Jacques-Louis David’s 1801 equestrian portrait, Napoleon Crossing the Alps. This painting was chosen by a man who Wiley had approached in the streets. The basic composition of Wiley's painting is the same as the 200-year-old painting it was based on, and has many of the same elements. The modern painting has a decorative background rather than the battlefield background. It is in the Brooklyn Museum.
Background
The painting is very typical of the style of Kehinde Wiley in that it is a monumental painting that incorporates brocade/decorative motif as an element of the background. [1]
Similarities between the two paintings
| Napoleon Crossing the Alps | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Jacques-Louis David |
| Year | 1801 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 261 cm × 221 cm (102 1⁄3 in × 87 in) |
| Location | Château de Malmaison, Rueil-Malmaison |
The basic composition of Wiley's painting is similar to the well-known portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte by Jacques-Louis David, and the two paintings share many elements.[2]
Notes
References
- Banks, Andre. "NO POSER HERE; Acclaimed Artist Kehinde Wiley Paints Black Masculinity Anew." Colorlines 8, no. 4 (Winter 2006): 57.
- Lenzi, Carlotta. "Jacques-Louis David: Artistic Interpretation in Tumultuous Times." (2008).
- Munhall, Edgar. "Portraits of Napoleon." Yale French Studies no. 26, The Myth of Napoleon (1960): 3-20.
- Shareef, Shahrazad A. "The Power of Decor: Kehinde Wiley's Interventions into the Construction of Black Masculine Identity." UMI Dissertations Publishing (2010).
External links
- “Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps.” Brooklyn Museum.
- Kehinde Wiley FAQ. Kehinde Wiley Studio.
- smarthistory.org