Modern Heroism: Printmaking And The Legacy Of Napoleon Bonaparte

An exhibition to mark the 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon spread liberal reform across Europe and to his supporters his legacy was that of a modern hero. Post-Napoleonic France was characterised by constant unrest and political upheaval which coincided with a revolution in printmaking as the new technique of lithography flourished. Quick and cheap to issue in large numbers, lithography became the medium through which a new generation of artists was able to disseminate its art and political views to the masses.

Highlights of the exhibition include prints by Charlet and Raffet, who contributed to Napoleon’s heroic legacy through glorifying war and military personnel; works by Delacroix and Gericault that respond to the drama and tragedy of the period; and satirical prints by Daumier.