THE BONAPARTE FASCINATION
FOR ANTIQUITY
Empress Joséphine, Empress of the French (1763- 1814)
Caroline Bonaparte, queen of Naples (1782- 1839
These parures, made in Paris during the first decade of the
nineteenth century, were by tradition given to the Empress
Josephine by her sister-in-law Caroline Bonaparte, wife of
General Murat and later Queen of Naples.
The gift is likely to
have included just the engraved gems, a possible combination
of Roman examples dating from around 100 BC- 200 A
alongside contemporary Italian engravings, which were late
mounted for Joséphine in Paris in the Neo-Classical taste
- evident by the Parisian marks for 1798-1809 struck on t
e diadem and belt ornament in lot 14 (cameo tiara), as well as t
e maker’s mark of Jacques-Ambroise Olivera
Oliveras’s mark
(JAO with an olive- a pun on his name that we often see wit
French goldsmiths) was first registered in 1799-1800 at 48 Qua
de la Mégisserie (Arminjon, 01517), and he was known for hi
skill in setting objects in gold and enamel, two known example
being the present lot and in a silver gilt and tortoiseshell hai
comb set with Roman mosaics, sold by Christie’s London, 12t
July 1983, lot 469
We see in these examples his expertise
and finesse in setting glyptics and further research shows his
interest in developing his techniques- the Repertory of Arts
Manufactures and Agriculture published in 1823, documentin
the specifics of patent inventions- shows Oliveras register
a patent for methods of applying gold colour without solder a
d steel upon gol
In 1800, Caroline Bonaparte (1782-1839), the younger
sister of Napoleon, married Joachim Murat, one of the most
flamboyant and successful generals of the Napoleonic era.
Having established his prowess on the battlefield during the
French Revolutionary Wars, he joined Bonaparte in the French
campaigns in Italy and Egypt, playing an important role in
Bonaparte’s ‘coup within a coup’ of 18 Brumaire on the 9th
November 1799, which saw Napoleon assume political power.
His marriage to Napoleon’s sister Caroline further consolidated
these close ties and bought him a series of titles, including that
of the King of Naples in 1808.
had been excavated by the Bourbon Kings of Naples since their
discovery in the early 18th century, however the discoveries
remained largely private and out of the public eye, an extract
from the Quarterly Review in 1864 comments how ‘the
excavations were carried out…on a limited scale.
The greatest
secrecy was maintained and no stranger could obtain admission
to the ruins…such things were diligently searched for, and were
sent off to the royal collections as soon as discovered’.
Under
French rule, the focus was precise and open, they looked to
excavate Pompeii systematically, going from west to east and
in some periods, employed as many as 600 workmen.
Under
Caroline’s patronage, the architect Francois Mazois published
the most extensive report to date on Pompeii, drawing and
measuring the ruins (something unheard of until now) and his
publication was transmitted across Europe, acting as one of
the most important sources of classical antiquity.
Historians
have trivialised Caroline’s involvement as a silly fancy, yet her
sustained interest in the archaeology is further evidence of her
participation in contemporary political culture and the gift of the
carved gems to Joséphine may have been both a fashionable
present as well as taking on a personal note relating to a subject
particularly close to her heart.
A more cynical view is that
Caroline was using this gift as a demonstration of power and
status – the once illiterate girl from Corsica now royalty in her
own right, and of a Kingdom of extreme riches.
The relationship between Caroline and Joséphine has been
reported as not particularly close, however this is not strictly
true.
At 19 years her senior, Joséphine displayed a sort of
motherly affection towards Caroline, who was a former
schoolmate of Joséphine’s daughter Hortense de Beauharnais.
When the 17 year old Caroline fell in love with one of her
brothers generals – Joachim Murat, Napoleon initially did
not wish them to marry, and it is reported that Joséphine
persuaded him to change his mind, hoping to secure an ally
amongst the Bonaparte siblings.
Joséphine helped care for
Caroline during her first pregnancy, writing to Murat on the
16th December 1800 after Napoleon had sent him to command
the army in Italy – “I have received news from you with great
pleasure, my dear little brother, and I hope to receive them
more often.
We talk every day of you with your dear Caroline,
who, in spite of all her courage, can’t help tearing up whenever
your name is mentioned… You can count on me, my dear little
brother, I would not leave her alone from the first moment she
gets into labour.
I am inclined to give all the possible proofs of
my tenderness towards my dear and kind little sister; besides,
she is like a daughter that my heart has adopted”.
As Queen of Naples, Caroline showed interest in not only politics
(acting as regent whilst her husband was away at war) but also
in economics and art.
She looked to boost the local economy
in renovating the palaces, employing local merchants and
played an important role in the excavations of Pompeii.
Like
her brother, she knew how effective associations with Classical
symbolism were in terms of legitimising an un-inherited claim
to power, and therefore heavily patronised the excavations
escalating the pace considerably
Caroline’s personal collection
of antiquities comprised of finds from most of Italy, including
Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as patronising local gem
engravers Teresa Talani and Filippo Rega, who created cameos
and intaglios in the classical style.
It is not known why exactly the bond between Caroline and
Joséphine soured, but the general consensus is that the
relationship fell victim to feuding between the Bonaparte’s
and de Beauharnais families.
Competitive and egotistical,
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