The Apotheosis Of Napoleon I - Bertel Thorvaldsen - Porcelain Biscuit - Eneret

Bust of Napoleon I by the Danish neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen after the original designed around 1830 called "The Apotheosis of Napoleon I" currently kept at the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen.

Celebrated in Northern Europe as a modern Phidias, Thorvaldsen is the most important neoclassical sculptor of his time with Canova, his only real rival. Originally from Denmark, Thorvaldsen made long stays in Rome where his studio enjoyed phenomenal success. State and private commissions followed one after the other, the artist notably designed the tomb of Pius VII in St. Peter's Basilica. In 1829, the Scotsman Alexander Murray, passing through the Eternal City, commissioned Thorvaldsen to create a bust in the image of Napoleon I, who had been dead for eight years. His legend continued to grow. The Danish sculptor then created a monumental work in his own neoclassical style, a clever blend of austerity and archaism. The idealized emperor is majestic, carried by the eagle of Victory and the palms of Glory, motifs borrowed from the ancient repertoire.

Biscuit bust.
Base marked "ENERET".