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  • image Image 1 for L65
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Bust L65. © Sir John Soane's Museum: photo: Lewis Bush
  • image Image 1 for L65
  • image Image 2 for L65

Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, 1799

Bronze, on a marble pedestal

Museum number: L65

On display: Library-Dining Room
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house. For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit

Curatorial note

This is one of two bronze busts of Napoleon of unknown provenance displayed either side of the bronze columns on the east pier between the Dining Room and the Library. This one is on a marble plinth, the other (L81) on a wooden base. Whilst this bust depicts the young Napoleon as first consul the second bust depicts a decidedly more corpulent Napoleon as Emperor. This arrangement mirrors that of the Cossia and Isabey portraits, also contrasting images of the young idealistic Consul and the much older Emperor, in the Breakfast Room.


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