French Artist, Napoleon III Egyptian Sculpture Bust, Bronze and Marble, 19th Century

Elegant and noble Egyptian bust representing Napoleon made in bronze, following the style of Napoleon III. Composed in two parts, the emperor's head appears supported on a marble base, like a plinth, in the shape of an Egyptian pyramid, thus alluding to his led military campaign in Egypt and Syria that took place between May 1789 and 1801, a campaign which, although it did not have much political significance, it did have cultural significance. Its main objective was to take over the country in order to prevent the United Kingdom from conquering India. Although it turned out to be an absolute failure, it had a significant impact on history, allowing us to rediscover the wonders of Egyptian antiquity, thus giving rise to modern Egyptology.
It is, therefore, a sculpture that responds to the serious and dignified image of Napoleonic busts, and that can add a historical touch to its decoration.
The Napoleon III or Second Empire style gets its name because it was born in France at that time. Strictly speaking, the Second Empire was proclaimed in 1852 and ended in 1870, led by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of the French, although in the artistic sense it extended a few more years (until 1880), and was used again in later times. . This style was very popular among the French bourgeoisie. The emperor himself was involved in the artistic development of the moment, although more closely linked to architecture. However, it is to Empress Eugenie that the evolution of the decorative arts is owed.

Although it is inspired by the styles of the past, starting with Classical Antiquity, the Renaissance, even Louis XVI, much loved by Eugenie, the most representative characteristic of the style is sumptuousness and ostentation, always aspiring to show wealth and opulence. They are pieces with great ornamentation.
It is not a style designed specifically for the Second Empire, but a recovery of the different great French styles of previous centuries, a kind of compilation of French decorative trends. Special reference is made to Louis XIV, Louis XV, Baroque and Rococo, and little by little to Louis XVI, with an eclecticist base. In short, the decorative styles that had positioned France at the forefront of interior design and furniture design in Europe, both for quality, originality and beauty.

Material: Bronze, marble
Style: Napoleon III
Period: Second half of the 19th century
Country of origin: France
Origin: Private collection
Minor faults that do not interfere with the overall vision of the whole
Total dimensions: 41 x 18.5 x 13 cm.
Bust: 13 x 10 x 6 cm.