During the Neoclassical era, the world saw a revival of classical Greek and Roman-style art due to Enlightenment philosophies and recent excavations of ancient Mediterranean ruins. Amidst this era, one of, if not the most, vital artists was Frenchman Jacques Louis David and his neoclassical art. One of his distinguished works is his famous portraiture of Napoleon Bonaparte in Napoleon Crossing the Alps, 1801. Currently situated on the outskirts of Paris and Versailles in the Château de Malmaison, this art piece encompasses many artistic features that heavily shape its audiences’ interpretations of the canvas. Commissioned by King Charles IV of Spain, this art piece was a peace offering to General Bonaparte to avoid French conquest in Spain. In addition to the Spanish crown’s indirect pressure to make the art piece picturesque, the influences of Napoleon’s patronage to David are also heavy influencers in the way David uses iconography to convey his admiration toward Napoleon. Furthermore, David’s deft use of symbolism, gestures, and facial expressions along with high contrast, scale/proportion, and other artistic features in Napoleon Crossing the Alps enable David to bolster Napoleon Bonaparte’s authority and provide an admiring figurative interpretation about the French general. 

      The most notable feature in David’s Napoleon Crossing the Alps is David’s use of symbolism and allegorical representations to show a figurative art piece. For example, Napoleon’s upward-pointing hand symbolizes a sense of leadership as Napoleon is guiding the French Soldiers to the summit of the mountain, their desired location. But figuratively, it shows that Napoleon is a natural leader and can readily lead France out of the disastrous revolution phase that destabilized the French Government in the preceding decade and back into France’s glory days. Another supporting detail of iconography is seen through the French Flag at the bottom right of the artwork. The French Flag on the bottom slowly ascending the mountain symbolizes France’ revival to its past glory as, during the Revolution, France’ power had significantly dropped, and by showing the French flag slowly ascending the mountain, David is trying to convey to the audience that Bonaparte’ rule will revive France’s glory like it used to be before the Revolution. In addition, Napoleon’s composed look despite the stallion being on its hindfeet shows his composure even in difficult situations which further portrays why he is a good leader for France and how he can make France its strong former self again. Further signs of legitimate authority are shown through Bonaparte’s clothing as the gold and red of his outfit represent wealth and power. The soldiers in the background symbolize Napoleon’s authority as well as they readily follow Bonaparte’s commands which further bolsters his authority. The sky also symbolizes France’s resurgence as the sky is blanketed with dark storm clouds, but there are rays of light piercing through, symbolizing hope for France. Furthermore, one ray of light shines directly upon Napoleon(indicated by the brighter color of the stallion on the left side than its right and by the brighter color of the ground beneath Napoleon and the horse) which implicitly shows the audience that Napoleon was like an angel sent from heaven to restabilize France’s government and bring back its glory days. Lastly, in the bottom left, Bonaparte’s name is etched into the rocks alongside two other commendable French war figures(Hannibal and Charlemagne) which shows David’s level of admiration as he compares Napoleon to these iconic war heroes which further bolsters Bonaparte’s authority. And, another minor fact regarding the etched names in the rock is that Bonaparte’s name is etched higher than Hannibal’s and Charlemagne’s which indirectly indicates to the audience that in David’s eyes, Napoleon is superior in military skills and authority than both of the other notable French figures. These illustrative examples, thereby showcase David’s deft use of iconography in his painting to invoke certain interpretations of his art.

      Another prominent feature is David’s use of Chiaroscuro and Color Theory to convey realism and value. The use of brighter colors in the foreground(Napoleon’s bright red cloak, gold on his outfit and the horse’s mane and the white color of the horse) with the darker colors in the background(dark sky, obscured mountains with a tint of grey) brings a distinctive contrast which lets the audience focus on Bonaparte and his horse. Additionally, using darker colors in the background to signify malign conditions while using Bonaparte and his horse’s lighter colors signify Napoleon as a blessing and supports his authority as he can easily overcome the surrounding hardships. Paired with their symbolic meanings and representations, David’s color theory also shows the value as smooth transitions from different hues of the same color are common in this art. Alongside value, representative colors such as the darkness of the sky and the brightness of Napoleon and his stallion provide the audience with a sense of realism and depth beyond the description of the artwork. A key representative element in Napoleon Crossing the Alps is its portrayal of Bonaparte’s leadership and authority, which along with his expressions/gestures and the color theory, let audiences’ indulge in a complex analysis of the different layers in David’s art piece. Subsequently, David’s use of a stark contrast between the foreground(Napoleon and his horse) and the background(the direful conditions of Bonaparte’s troops and the dark sky and mountains) significantly influences other peoples’ interpretations of his artwork.

      Along with symbolism and figurative use of colors, David’s effective use of brushwork and proportion/scale significantly influences the audiences’ interpretations of the artwork. Indicated by the counterbalance of the clouds and Napoleon’s red cloak, the brushwork results in a series of diagonal lines which helps the audience notice the steepness of the mountain and the difficulty it poses to Napoleon and his troops. However, seeing Bonaparte’s tranquil expressions, the audience is prompted to admire his composure and calmness, two vital skills necessary in a leader. Lastly, the larger proportion and scale of Bonaparte and his horse prompts the audience to divert their attention to Napoleon and the stallion while rendering the other details less important. This enables David to influence the audience’s interpretations of his artwork and shows that each one of his decisive choices has reasoning behind them. Therefore, these examples clearly demonstrate how David’s brushwork and calculated scales/proportions help play a factor in the audiences’ interpretations of this art piece.

      Thus, David - through his effective use of iconography through symbolism and allegorical representations, his manipulation of colors, and his clever brushwork and scaling - can bolster Napoleon Bonaparte’s authority and convey his admiration to the respected French General. Additionally, through David’s use of Neoclassicism, he is able to appeal to a wider audience as, during this time, the newly emerging Neoclassical Art was replacing the previously prominent Rococo style. The use of Neoclassicism also plays a role in this portraiture’s interpretations by its audience members, and it most likely prompts the observer to have a more positive review of the art.

Bibliography

Galitz, Kathyrn. “The Legacy of Jacques Louis David.” The Met Museum, Oct. 2004, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jldv/hd_jldv.htm.
“Jacques Louis David - Works of Art.” National Gallery of Art - California, www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1212.html. Accessed 24 June 2021.
McMullen, Roy Donald. “Jacques-Louis David | Biography, Art, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Louis-David-French-painter. Accessed 24 June 2021.
“Neo-Classicism and the French Revolution.” Oxford Art Online, www.oxfordartonline.com/page/neo-classicism-and-the-french-revolution/neoclassicism-and-the-french-revolution. Accessed 24 June 2021.
“Neoclassicism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement/neoclassicism. Accessed 24 June 2021.
Pollitt, Ben. “Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the Alps – Smarthistory.” Smart History, smarthistory.org/jacques-louis-david-napoleon-crossing-the-alps. Accessed 24 June 2021.