Napoleon Entering Cairo Statue Available At Rau Antiques

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
May 14th 2011 at 8:00PM

There is an almost eerie quality to this one of a kind custom made statue depicting Napoleon Bonaparte as he enters Cario during his campaign in Egypt. The small statue was made by famed French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme as a smaller version of a larger bronze statue. It was made around 1897. The statue is done in an ancient style known as "chryselephantine." The inner part of the statue is wood, while it is overlaid with gold and ivory. Ivory is used for Napoleon's face to simulate a more realistic flesh like look. The statue is about 16 and a half inches high.

Gerome, the artist, favored such older Roman and Greek sculpting techniques. The original bronze statue was bought by the French government for public display. This work is an amazing historical reference as well as example of neo-classic revival in the 19th century that has since never been better. Price is $198,000 at Rau Antiques. Learn more here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: cairo, jean-leon gerome, napoleon, sculpture

Filed under: Art

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

IRVING May 15th 2011 9:51AM

I already commented on the Napolen statue. What happened to it?

IRVING May 15th 2011 10:12AM

Let's try again. Napoleon was an ego maniacal tyrant and should not be regarded as a hero, as the statue depicts him. He caused massive suffering to his own people, his army was crushed and could never again properly protect his nation. The world remembers him as a pariah that had to be destroyed. He was denied martyrdom and cursed by his own church and citizens who had just overthrown a despotic monarchy. Any statue of him astride a horse should be replaced by him behind a desk where he did accomplish great education and financial programs which were the envy of every nation at the time and are still in effect.