Renzo Colombo
1856-1885 | Italian

Bust of Napoleon

Signed “R. Colombo 1885” (base)
Bronze

This rare and outstanding bronze sculpture of Napoleon was forged by famed Italian sculptor Renzo Colombo. One of the greatest conquerors in modern history, Napoleon Bonaparte is remembered for expanding the French Empire and dominating European affairs in the years following the French Revolution. Colombo depicts the leader in his familiar military garb, celebrating Napoleon’s legendary life and lasting accomplishments.

Below the emperor rests an eagle clutching a double-ended torch, a classic symbol of honor and courage. The eagle was a symbol chosen by Napoleon himself as an emblem of the new era in France. A traditional symbol of Imperial Rome, the eagle is a central figure in Napoleon’s coat of arms, and an eagle finial was placed atop of the shaft of every flag in the Napoleonic army the day following the emperor’s coronation.

Born in Milan, Lorenzo (“Renzo”) Colombo began his formal artistic studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera at the young age of 14. He frequently exhibited at the Paris Salon, showing several classically-inspired plaster busts. Colombo’s compelling bust of Napoleon, upon which this remarkable bronze is based, was exhibited at the 1885 Salon, mere months before the artist’s untimely death. With less than forty sculptures created by Colombo in his lifetime, this rare and important bust of Napoleon Bonaparte is exceptional for both its artistry and historical significance.

Circa 1885