Ciborium for the Coronation of Napoleon I

Charles Percier French

Not on view


Together with his partner, Fontaine, Percier was in charge of the staging of the Coronation of Napoleon I in 1804. The painter Jacques Louis David recorded part of the lavish décor they created in a large-scale painting, which he finished in 1807. The present ciborium (a goblet for eucharistic bread) and cup were intended for the communion service. Their decoration is inspired by the ornamental vocabulary of the early Christian period and reflects Napoleon’s ambition to be associated with the rulers of the Roman Empire.

Ciborium for the Coronation of Napoleon I, Charles Percier (French, Paris 1764–1838 Paris), Graphite, pen and brown ink, gray and reddish-brown wash

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2013.544.1

Ciborium for the Coronation of Napoleon I, Charles Percier (French, Paris 1764–1838 Paris), Graphite, pen and brown ink, gray and reddish-brown wash
Ciborium for the Coronation of Napoleon I, Charles Percier (French, Paris 1764–1838 Paris), Graphite, pen and brown ink, gray and reddish-brown wash

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