French - Flag, 1813-1814

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Banner embroidered in gold thread on blue, white and red silk cloth. The design consist of various emblems of Napoleon Bonaparte,--the cedar in a wreath, the eagle, bees, crowns, etc.—together with formal designs in the style of the First Empire. This is the standard of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon, First Regiment, Foot Grenadiers.
Inscription:
GARDE
IMPERIALE
L’EMPEREUR
NAPOLEON
AU 1er REGIMENT
DES GRENADIERS
A PIED

(reverse) MARINGO ULM
AUSTERLITZ, JENA
EYLAU, FRIEDLAND,
ECKMUHL, ESSLING
WAGRAM, SMOLENSK
MOSKOWA
VIENNE, BERLIN
MADRID, MOSCOU

French

Flag: Insignia of the First Regiment of Grenadiers of Foot of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, 1813-1814

Silk tabby, silk and gilt yarns, satin, gilt sequins, bosses, spiral wires, 101.6 x 102.2 cm (40 x 40 1/4 in.)

Short Gallery

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Commentary

This lavishly embroidered standard is either the original flag of the most prestigious unit within Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte’s Grand Army or an early reproduction. Flags like this one were carried on staffs capped with a gilt bronze eagle to symbolize the divine authority of the First Empire of Napoleon. Isabella Stewart Gardner was fascinated by French history and displayed this flag (and its eagle finial, which was stolen from the museum in 1990) in the foyer of her 152 Beacon Street home and later in the Short Gallery.