Josephine, wife of Napoleon" figurine

Description

Polychrome and gilded porcelain figurine. Mark in blue. Italy, Capo di Monte, late 19th century.
Height 26 cm - Weight 0.470 kg
Excellent condition. Brand information - photo 9.

Surprisingly, in France, in the absence of an open cult of Napoleon Bonaparte, a reflection of his personality and glory illuminates every aspect of French life, and respect for this great personality has always hovered in French culture.
Although France (for reasons of political correctness) does not promote the name of its foremost national triumph and great statesman, and although there are no towns, avenues or ships in France named after Napoleon Bonaparte, respect for his personality in indirect forms manifests itself in everything as if something were linked to this great man's activities.
Thus, the country's main avenue is called "Avenue de la Grande-Armée" - (and we mean Napoleon's), the main belt of boulevards, covering the heart of Paris, bears the names of a galaxy of Napoleonic generals and marshals (we mean Napoleon's Army), and even trinkets or collectibles are invariably inspired by interest in and respect for Bonaparte's personality.
This elegant figurine, which is displayed on our website, is an example of how a decorative figurine made by Italian porcelain manufacturers in the French perception becomes something more than just an elegant decorative element and is filled with a particular and deeper meaning, as it recreates an image associated with the name of the great Napoleon. Josephine, Empress of France, Napoleon's first wife.
She went down in history not so much for her role in the life of the empire as for her role in the life of her husband, Napoleon Bonaparte. In this figurine, Josephine is depicted as a young girl wearing a pink tunic. The details of the image are not accidental: a tunic is a type of ancient Greek garment; Josephine was one of the first marvelous - avant-gardists who promoted the neo-Greek type of clothing, and roses were her favorite flowers.
In her château at Malmaison, Josephine created a collection of 250 varieties of roses. A fragile image of the Empire period, a gilded base with the letter "N" - Napoleon's monogram - and on all this porcelain charm there's a gentle reflection of his glory...
According to contemporary memoirs, before his death on the island of St. Helena, Napoleon whispered three words: "Armée. La France. Josephine".