Idealism and criticism in art around 1800

Napoleon – Genius and Despot

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When Napoleon seized power in 1799 as First Consul of the French Republic, he became a favourite target of caricaturists. This exhibition of around 180 cartoons compiled by the Wilhelm Busch Museum in Hanover, Germany, follows Napoleon’s career from his coup d’état to his exile on the island of St. Helena. Between 1797 and 1815, well over 2,000 caricatures of Napoleon were produced, almost all of them in England up to 1813, since strict censorship was in place in other European countries. No sooner had he left the political stage, however, than people began to idealize him – despite all the efforts of the caricaturists. For this reason, we have juxtaposed the caricatures of a despotic ruler with items from the collection of the Napoleon Museum in Arenenberg, Switzerland, which portray Napoleon as a brilliant head of state. Together they convey a vibrant and tangible impression of this turbulent period in history.

Opening at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2008
Showing until to October 26, 2008