The Coronation of Napoleon by David - Poster

The original painting by Jacques-Louis David is on display in the Louvre. A replica is in the Palace of Versailles. It shows a large number of almost life-size figures present in the Notre-Dame Cathedral for the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte. This painting (979cm x 621cm) is one of the largest works in the Louvre. Napoleon is the person in the middle holding the crown, and the painting shows the moment that Napoleon is about to place the crown on the head of his wife Joséphine who is kneeling on a pillow. Napoleon is wearing his coronation robe, which is similar to the robes worn by Roman emperors. The person sitting to the right of Napoleon is Pope Pius VII. He is observing and blessing the coronation but is participating involuntarily under the pressure of Napoleon. Look at the expressions of all the 204 faces in the painting. They all look quite serious, signifying the importance of this event. A more detailed discussion of this painting can be found at https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/the-coronation-of-napoleon-by-jacques-louis-david.