School of Fontainebleau The Reign of Jupiter, ca. 1555–60 Marble; 15 x 19 in. (38.1 x 48.3 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1997 (1997.23)		Napoleon I on His Imperial Throne
Seeking to invent imagery appropriate to the new political reality, Napoleon and his advisers encouraged artists to invoke analogies with previous emperors, as well as with Roman gods. This sixteenth-century marble relief shows the god Jupiter in a pose not unlike the one Ingres used for Napoleon. In the relief, Jupiter's eagle is perched at the god's side; in Ingres's painting, the eagle associated with Jupiter is woven into the carpet beneath the emperor's feet. Back

Home | Works of Art | Curatorial Departments | Collection Database | Features | Timeline of Art History | Explore & Learn | The Met Store | Membership | Ways to Give | Plan Your Visit | Calendar | The Cloisters | Concerts & Lectures | Educational Resources | Events & Programs | FAQs | Special Exhibitions | My Met Museum | Press Room | Met Podcast | MetShare | Site Index | Now at the Met | MuseumKids Photograph Credits Copyright © 2000–2008 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.  Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy.