Louis-François Lejeune, general and painter
The Napoleonic Wars. Louis-François Lejeune, general and painter, exhibition at the Château de Versailles from 14 February to 13 May 2012.
The fourteen paintings by Louis-François Lejeune housed at the Château de Versailles (Palace of Versailles) reveal both an original artist and a unique 19th century figure: he had several careers - as a painter, a general and a politician. From the Siege of Charleroi in 1794 to the Battle of Borodino, his works are first and foremost historical documents, which retrace his military career.
Who could doubt the veracity of his paintings? His military record mentions his 17 campaigns and the 11 wounds he suffered, does it not? There is no doubt that he was actually there. So, he was well qualified to document this epic period of history.
Drawing on documentation contemporaneous with the artist, the exhibition aims to show how a historical painting is created through military observations, topographical reports and fragmentary compositions. All forms of reporting used will be analysed in order to understand the importance of historical accuracy in battle painting.
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