The son of the legendary Napoléon Bonaparte, Napoléon François Charles Joseph, takes a spirited stance in this remarkable oil painting of the early 19th-century Austrian School. Believed to have been exhibited at the Paris Exhibition Universelle of 1900, this work stands as a testament to both Austrian artistry and the legacy of one of the most powerful men in history.
After his exile to the island of Elba in 1814, Napoléon’s son with his Empress Marie-Louise was seen by many of his supporters as the hope of France. The child was designated at once to be ruler of half of Europe, holding the titles of Napoléon II, King of Rome, Prince of Parma, and the Duke of Reichstadt, the last given to him by his grandfather, Austria’s Emperor Francis II.
After his father’s capture, the then four-year-old Napoléon and his mother fled to her homeland of Austria, never to see the fallen Emperor of France again. Once under the protection of the Habsburg Court there was a concerted effort to sever all ties to his father. His mother left him in Vienna to pursue her own personal interests. In her absence, his grandfather assumed guardianship and gave him the title of the Duke of Reichstadt, dismissed all of his French attendants, and even disallowed the child to be referred to as “Napoléon”, instead insisting on the name “Franz” or “Francis”.
His demeanor in this remarkable portrait eloquently illustrates the child’s reaction to this unfortunate series of events. Even here at the tender age of eight, the impact of having everything familiar taken from him is evident in the young Napoléon. His soft golden curls and blush cheeks betray the stance of defiance he assumes. With his left hand on his hip and hat in the other, one can almost feel the spirit of his once-powerful father emanating from the canvas.
In his upcoming book Francis Bonaparte: An American View of Napoleon II, author Tom Vance suggests the background of this portrait is that of the Imperial Castle at Persenbeug, with the waterway depicted being the Danube River. From July through September of 1818, Napoléon’s mother, Marie-Louise, came to reunite with her son. During that time, on July 22, he was titled Duke of Reichstadt. It is believed that this portrait was created to commemorate this event.
