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Learn MoreNapoleon Bonaparte as First Consul by Sophie Janinet
- This is a rare and historically charged portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul
- The oil on glass was executed by Sophie Janinet during the French Empire
- It is rendered in trompe l'oeil to imitate patinated bronze against a marble ground
- The work belongs to a moment when the imagery of the First Consul was carefully shaped to project strength
- Get complete item description here
$78,500
Item No.
32-2589
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Description
Sophie Janinet
1779–1819 | French
Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul
Inscribed “Le General Bonaparte [First] Consul”
Oil on glass
An exceptionally rare portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, this extraordinary work by Sophie Janinet captures a pivotal moment in the formation of Napoleonic iconography. Rendered in the highly complex trompe l'oeil technique to imitate patinated bronze against a faux marble ground, the composition reflects the early Empire’s fascination with. . .
1779–1819 | French
Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul
Inscribed “Le General Bonaparte [First] Consul”
Oil on glass
An exceptionally rare portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, this extraordinary work by Sophie Janinet captures a pivotal moment in the formation of Napoleonic iconography. Rendered in the highly complex trompe l'oeil technique to imitate patinated bronze against a faux marble ground, the composition reflects the early Empire’s fascination with. . .
Read More
Sophie Janinet
1779–1819 | French
Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul
Inscribed “Le General Bonaparte [First] Consul”
Oil on glass
An exceptionally rare portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, this extraordinary work by Sophie Janinet captures a pivotal moment in the formation of Napoleonic iconography. Rendered in the highly complex trompe l'oeil technique to imitate patinated bronze against a faux marble ground, the composition reflects the early Empire’s fascination with classical authority and sculptural presence. Produced during the French Empire, around 1800 and at the height of Bonaparte’s ascent, the work belongs to a moment when imagery of the First Consul was carefully shaped to project strength, legitimacy and permanence.
Executed in oil on glass, the painting achieves the striking illusion of sculpted relief, with subtle tonal shifts and controlled highlights that convincingly simulate bronze. The circular format enhances the sense of monumentality, while the restrained palette underscores its neoclassical clarity. Framed in a finely carved giltwood frame decorated with egg-and-dart and acanthus ornament, the work reads at first glance as a sculpted medallion rather than a painting, demonstrating the artist’s mastery of illusionistic technique. Reverse glass painting of this sophistication required extraordinary precision, as details are painted in reverse order—making any error permanent and placing immense technical demands on the artist.
Sophie Janinet was a French Neoclassical painter born into a family of artists and engravers, trained within a milieu that included exposure to figures such as Fragonard, Hubert Robert and Greuze. She exhibited at the Salon from a young age and was known for her refined ability to translate sculptural effects into works on paper and glass. This portrait reflects both her technical skill and her engagement with contemporary political imagery, aligning her practice with the broader visual culture of the Napoleonic era.
Circa 1800
Glass: 20 1/2" diameter (52.1 cm)
Frame: 28 1/8" diameter x 2 1/2" deep (71.4 x 6.4 cm)
Provenance:
Collection of Sacha Guitry (Saint Petersburg, 1885–Paris, 1957)
His sale, Ader Picard Tajan, Drouot, February 17, 1977
Collection of Madame Delplace
Private collection, France
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
1779–1819 | French
Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul
Inscribed “Le General Bonaparte [First] Consul”
Oil on glass
An exceptionally rare portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, this extraordinary work by Sophie Janinet captures a pivotal moment in the formation of Napoleonic iconography. Rendered in the highly complex trompe l'oeil technique to imitate patinated bronze against a faux marble ground, the composition reflects the early Empire’s fascination with classical authority and sculptural presence. Produced during the French Empire, around 1800 and at the height of Bonaparte’s ascent, the work belongs to a moment when imagery of the First Consul was carefully shaped to project strength, legitimacy and permanence.
Executed in oil on glass, the painting achieves the striking illusion of sculpted relief, with subtle tonal shifts and controlled highlights that convincingly simulate bronze. The circular format enhances the sense of monumentality, while the restrained palette underscores its neoclassical clarity. Framed in a finely carved giltwood frame decorated with egg-and-dart and acanthus ornament, the work reads at first glance as a sculpted medallion rather than a painting, demonstrating the artist’s mastery of illusionistic technique. Reverse glass painting of this sophistication required extraordinary precision, as details are painted in reverse order—making any error permanent and placing immense technical demands on the artist.
Sophie Janinet was a French Neoclassical painter born into a family of artists and engravers, trained within a milieu that included exposure to figures such as Fragonard, Hubert Robert and Greuze. She exhibited at the Salon from a young age and was known for her refined ability to translate sculptural effects into works on paper and glass. This portrait reflects both her technical skill and her engagement with contemporary political imagery, aligning her practice with the broader visual culture of the Napoleonic era.
Circa 1800
Glass: 20 1/2" diameter (52.1 cm)
Frame: 28 1/8" diameter x 2 1/2" deep (71.4 x 6.4 cm)
Provenance:
Collection of Sacha Guitry (Saint Petersburg, 1885–Paris, 1957)
His sale, Ader Picard Tajan, Drouot, February 17, 1977
Collection of Madame Delplace
Private collection, France
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Read Less
Specifications
| Maker: | Janinet, Sophie |
| Period: | 1700-1815 |
| Origin: | France |
| Type: | Paintings |
| Style: | Neoclassicism |
| Depth: | 2.5 in. (6.35 cm) |
| Width: | 28.13 in. (71.44 cm) |
| Height: | 28.13 in. (71.44 cm) |
| Canvas Width: | 20.500 in. (52.07 cm) |
| Canvas Height: | 20.500 in. (52.07 cm) |
Buy with Confidence
At M.S. Rau, we are committed to building a long-term, rewarding relationship with each and every client. That’s why your purchase is backed by our 125% guarantee.
Learn More
