Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat up for sale in Paris
Over 100 relics of the man who shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination — are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged.
Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation.
"These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history," said Louis-Xavier Joseph from Sotheby's who helped assemble the trove. "You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand."
The auction — aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros ($A12 million) — is a biography in objects. The centrepiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle — with wings parallel to his shoulders — so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze.
The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars.
It also includes the red portfolio that once contained Napoleon's divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalised their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance.
"Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion," Joseph said. "It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private."
A 2023 biopic grossed over $220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance.
The auction preview is open to the public, with the auction set for June 25.
The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II.
He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colours of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed.
Over 100 relics of the man who shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination — are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged.
Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation.
"These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history," said Louis-Xavier Joseph from Sotheby's who helped assemble the trove. "You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand."
The auction — aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros ($A12 million) — is a biography in objects. The centrepiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle — with wings parallel to his shoulders — so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze.
The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars.
It also includes the red portfolio that once contained Napoleon's divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalised their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance.
"Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion," Joseph said. "It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private."
A 2023 biopic grossed over $220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance.
The auction preview is open to the public, with the auction set for June 25.
The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II.
He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colours of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed.
Over 100 relics of the man who shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination — are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged.
Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation.
"These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history," said Louis-Xavier Joseph from Sotheby's who helped assemble the trove. "You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand."
The auction — aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros ($A12 million) — is a biography in objects. The centrepiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle — with wings parallel to his shoulders — so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze.
The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars.
It also includes the red portfolio that once contained Napoleon's divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalised their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance.
"Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion," Joseph said. "It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private."
A 2023 biopic grossed over $220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance.
The auction preview is open to the public, with the auction set for June 25.
The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II.
He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colours of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed.
Over 100 relics of the man who shaped empires, broke hearts and spawned centuries of fascination — are on display in Paris ahead of what experts call one of the most important Napoleonic auctions ever staged.
Two centuries after his downfall, Napoleon remains both revered and controversial in France. Polls have shown that many admire his vision and achievements, while others condemn his wars and authoritarian rule. Nearly all agree his legacy still shapes the nation.
"These are not just museum pieces. They're fragments of a life that changed history," said Louis-Xavier Joseph from Sotheby's who helped assemble the trove. "You can literally hold a piece of Napoleon's world in your hand."
The auction — aiming to make in excess of 7 million euros ($A12 million) — is a biography in objects. The centrepiece is Napoleon's iconic bicorne hat, the black felt chapeau he wore in battle — with wings parallel to his shoulders — so soldiers and enemies could spot him instantly through the gunpowder haze.
The hat is estimated to sell for at least over half a million dollars.
It also includes the red portfolio that once contained Napoleon's divorce decree from Josephine, the religious marriage certificate that formalised their love and a dressing table designed for the empress. Her famed mirror reflects the ambition and tragedy of their alliance.
"Napoleon was a great lover; his letters that he wrote are full of fervor, of love, of passion," Joseph said. "It was also a man who paid attention to his image. Maybe one of the first to be so careful of his image, both public and private."
A 2023 biopic grossed over $220 million worldwide and reanimated Napoleon's myth for a TikTok generation hungry for stories of ambition, downfall and doomed romance.
The auction preview is open to the public, with the auction set for June 25.
The exhibition is a spectacle crafted by celebrity designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, famed for dressing Lady Gaga and Pope John Paul II.
He's filled the show with fog, hypnotic music and immersive rooms. One is inspired by the camouflage colours of Fontainebleau. Another is anchored by Napoleon's legendary folding bed.
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