Who knew you were fascinated by Napoleon! I have thought about him a lot in the context of Romanticism (and the resistance to Empire). I nearly wrote about a painting Turner made for this ThirdThursdayTurner… it is so layered; I will get to it. But not in an ekphrastic way. One day!!
Have you seen Haydon’s Napoleon? He painted two imaginary ones, of Wellington looking at Waterloo and Napoleon from his prison of St Helena.. will find a link. A conversation of their reflections could be really interesting.
Well. All the artists were inspired by each other. The pose is very classically ‘romantic’ (think Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, by Friedrich), so it’s a bit of a trope. Haydon was obsessed by Napoleon (he bought his death mask!) so I guess it would be seeing where Sandmann’s was exhibited, or when it came into the public domain. It may just be a wonderful coincidence that they imagined the same brooding Napoleon. Haydon was in Paris in 1814 with Wilkie (also a great friend of Turner), which is where his obsession started.
I once did this for a Creative Writing assignment at RMWC, where I got my undergraduate degree. We have the Maier Museum of Art on campus there, and I bet you can guess which painting I chose to write about…The Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks. It’s such a fun exercise. I have done it many times since. Maybe I will go there tomorrow and find another painting to write.
This is fantastic, Yasmin! Loved it. What a great job you did in conveying him. And this process is incredible too. I'll have to try it. I guess in a way it's rather like the idea of writing letters to those who've died to get out one's feelings, convey thoughts not previously addressed. That's the closest I can match it to. Loved this part too, "Suddenly truth and fiction merged and this was where the magic happened and writing takes an unexpected turn." Really love this post!! If I ever take this step, I surely will post about it too. Gracias!
Jeanine, thank you for your kind words. And I hope you do try this method because it's such fun. You never know where it might lead with all the wonderful characters you could write to...
I'm already thinking Who! For sure the greatest ruler of Palenque, Pakal. And also one of the Maya warrior queens. For starters. What fun this will be! Thanks again!!
This is a very useful piece Yasmin, I’ve wanted to write an ekphrastic piece for a while now but never quite knew where to start. Now I do 🙏 love your writing about Napoleon too x
What a wonderful sharing of an idea, a practice, an opportunity participate. I'm working on a project and this essay makes me consider if the tangling of words I feel in its format might be better served as a series of letters ... hmmmm ....
I really enjoyed reading this imagined snippet of Napoleon's life
Thanks Lucy. I loved doing the research.
Who knew you were fascinated by Napoleon! I have thought about him a lot in the context of Romanticism (and the resistance to Empire). I nearly wrote about a painting Turner made for this ThirdThursdayTurner… it is so layered; I will get to it. But not in an ekphrastic way. One day!!
Have you seen Haydon’s Napoleon? He painted two imaginary ones, of Wellington looking at Waterloo and Napoleon from his prison of St Helena.. will find a link. A conversation of their reflections could be really interesting.
Lovely work, Yasmin.
Thanks for your comment Julia. And, yes, you're right, such a conversation would be fun to write!
The link you provide for the portrait is interesting. The scene is so similar to the one by Sandmann, I wonder if Haydon copied it.
Well. All the artists were inspired by each other. The pose is very classically ‘romantic’ (think Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, by Friedrich), so it’s a bit of a trope. Haydon was obsessed by Napoleon (he bought his death mask!) so I guess it would be seeing where Sandmann’s was exhibited, or when it came into the public domain. It may just be a wonderful coincidence that they imagined the same brooding Napoleon. Haydon was in Paris in 1814 with Wilkie (also a great friend of Turner), which is where his obsession started.
Rabbit holes appear everywhere!
Oh those rabbit holes. I scurried down so many when I was doing this research. Loved every minute though!
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw04614/Napolon-Bonaparte-Napolon-on-St-Helena
I once did this for a Creative Writing assignment at RMWC, where I got my undergraduate degree. We have the Maier Museum of Art on campus there, and I bet you can guess which painting I chose to write about…The Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks. It’s such a fun exercise. I have done it many times since. Maybe I will go there tomorrow and find another painting to write.
That sounds such an interesting painting, Amanda, I had to look it up. A fantasy!
This is fantastic, Yasmin! Loved it. What a great job you did in conveying him. And this process is incredible too. I'll have to try it. I guess in a way it's rather like the idea of writing letters to those who've died to get out one's feelings, convey thoughts not previously addressed. That's the closest I can match it to. Loved this part too, "Suddenly truth and fiction merged and this was where the magic happened and writing takes an unexpected turn." Really love this post!! If I ever take this step, I surely will post about it too. Gracias!
Jeanine, thank you for your kind words. And I hope you do try this method because it's such fun. You never know where it might lead with all the wonderful characters you could write to...
I'm already thinking Who! For sure the greatest ruler of Palenque, Pakal. And also one of the Maya warrior queens. For starters. What fun this will be! Thanks again!!
Tell us when you post… would love to read.
It may be awhile but it will come! Love the idea.
This is a very useful piece Yasmin, I’ve wanted to write an ekphrastic piece for a while now but never quite knew where to start. Now I do 🙏 love your writing about Napoleon too x
I appreciate your comment, Lynne. And hope to have inspired a new piece of writing too.
What a wonderful sharing of an idea, a practice, an opportunity participate. I'm working on a project and this essay makes me consider if the tangling of words I feel in its format might be better served as a series of letters ... hmmmm ....
Ah, good to know that you enjoyed the piece, Stacy. The letter format leaves quite a lot of room for the imagination.