Object details
Object number
10.a.1.1
Creator(s)
Title
The first Napoleon; a sketch, political and military
Date
1885
Medium
Printed ink on paper
Language
English
Publication Place
Boston; New York
Binding Description
blue cloth; gilt lettering on spine; gilded top edge
Description
xxii, 347 p. maps, port. 20 cm. (HathiTrust rec. #007694672)
Dimensions
20.3 x 13.3 x 3.8 cm (8 x 5 1/4 x 1 1/2 in.)
Signatures, inscriptions, and markings
Inscribed in blue ink (on front end paper): Mrs John L. Gardner / with the kind regards / of John C. Ropes / 4 Nov. 1885
Pasted (on back of front cover): Photograph of bust of Napoleon I
Enclosed: Pressed flowers (ARC.009824)
Enclosed: Letter to Isabella Stewart Gardner from author John Codman Ropes (1836-1899) on 6 April 1886 (ARC.005216)
Provenance
Gift from the author John Codman Ropes (1836-1899) to Isabella Stewart Gardner 4 November 1885.
Commentary
While attending finishing school in Paris during the 1850s, Isabella Stewart Gardner was captivated by French literature, culture, and history. Of particular note is her interest in the former French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Evidence of her affinity for Napoleon are scattered throughout her museum, including her book collection. This particular book was given to Isabella by the author, John Codman Ropes in November 1885. It discusses, in a series of lectures originally delivered in Boston in March 1885, Napoleon's foreign and domestic policies.
Bibliography
Kathleen King,"Relics of an Emperor: Napoleon Bonaparte," Inside the Collection (blog), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 9 August 2022, https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/relics-emperor-napoleon-bonaparte-gardner-museum
Gallery
Blue Room
Rights and reproductions
The use of images, text, and all other media found on this website is limited. Please review Rights and Reproductions for details.
