Napoleon's Farewell to Josephine - Laslett John Pott R.B.A., ca. 1891
Following up on an opportunity we had to visit British Napoleonic Masterpieces art in the New York metro area, today we look at a ca. 1891 painting by Laslett John Pott R.B.A. (British, 1837-1898) entitled Napolean's Farewell to Josephine: 'My Destiny and France Demand It'. Born in the United Kingdom, Pott studied art with Scottish history and genre painter Alexander Johnston (1817-1891). This painting by Pott is widely known as the foremost painting on the subject of the divorce of Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Joséphine.
During his career, Pott became a member of the Royal Academy of Arts, a rare and prestigious honor. The historic mission of the Royal Academy of Arts, a centuries-old institution formed in 1768, was to "promote the creation, enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate." Pott was also a member of the Society of British Artists, which had formed in 1823, half a century after the Academy. The Society of British Artists had a somewhat higher cap on membership numbers than the Academy and was nonetheless an exclusive organization. In 1877, the Society of British Artists gained the title "Royal," making it the Royal Society of British Artists that is known today. Between 1860 and 1897, Laslett John Pott had more than 40 of his works selected for exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, which is quite a testament to his abilities.
Napoleon’s Farewell to Josephine (Laslett John Pott R.B.A., ca. 1891, Andreas Roubian Collection)
In "Napolean's Farewell to Josephine", Pott, in his theatrical style, presents Napoleon Bonaparte's departure from Joséphine Bonaparte (1763-1814) during their separation. A somber Napoleon, hand on the door, leaves the grief-stricken Joséphine. Married in May of 1804, Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Joséphine were unable to conceive children together. In need of a royal heir, Napoleon made what has been described as his "most difficult decision" and separated from Joséphine on the evening of November 30, 1809, with the marriage annulled in 1810. Napolean and Joséphine genuinely loved each other, and the divorce was an agonizing decision for the Emperor. Pott's depiction of this 1809 November evening is at the end of Napoleon's discussion with the Empress concerning their duty to sacrifice their own happiness and separate in service to the interests of France. After the annulment, the Emperor married Marie Louise, the Archduchess of Austria. Together, they had one son, Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832).
Napolean's Farewell to Josephine: "My Destiny and France Demand It" (pictured below) measures approximately 52 inches high by 36 inches wide. This painting was the cornerstone of the Napoleonic collection of American businessman Wallace C. Yost. Almost 100 years after its creation, the painting went on to museum exhibitions titled The Napoleon Collection of Wallace C. Yost (catalog cover pictured). Sold at Sotheby's New York in February 1989, the painting was later given a full-page feature in Sotheby’s Great Sales (Pub. 1989, pp 76-77). Presently, this significant work of Pott’s is in the Andreas Roubian collection.
In 2001, the Roubian Collection loaned the work to the Frick Mansion Museum / Nassau County Museum of Art for the exhibition Napoleon and His Age. Joséphine's dress in this painting, was discussed in the 2006 exhibition catalog for Art & Fashion: Marie Antoinette to Jacqueline Kennedy.
Exhibition Catalog Cover - The Napoleon Collection of Wallace C. Yost
