Sotheby’s Paris to Auction an Intimate Inventory of Napoleon’s Reign
Napoleon Bonaparte remains one of the rare historical figures to have attained truly global celebrity status, thanks in no small part to his histrionic personality, tragic downfall and scandal-laced life. Rising swiftly through the ranks during the French Revolution, propelled by a razor-sharp strategic mind, he became a general at age 24. Despite his youth, early victories in Italy and against Austria transformed him into a national hero. A military genius and ruthless political operator, he reshaped Europe largely by force: in 1799, he staged the coup of 18 Brumaire and assumed the role of First Consul of France. By 1804, he had crowned himself Emperor, effectively ending the republic. Strategy aside, Napoleon understood the power of image from the start, leveraging media, art and rhetoric to shape his myth and embed himself in the collective imagination as a modern idol.
His life and legacy continue to cast a long shadow over the global imagination, fueling a steady stream of books and films—including Ridley Scott’s stylized epic Napoleon that dramatized his meteoric rise and dramatic fall. Riding this fascination, Sotheby’s is preparing to auction one of the most comprehensive Napoleonic collections ever to reach the market. Drawn from the storied trove of Pierre-Jean Chalençon—an authority on all things Bonaparte—the sale will take place on June 25 at Sotheby’s Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré location in Paris.
Paul Delarocheâs 1848 painting of Napoleon at Fontainebleau, depicting the emperor in a moment of solitude and psychological defeat." width="970" height="1197" data-caption='Paul Delaroche, <em>Napoleon at Fontainebleau, 31 March 1814</em>, 1848; estimate upon request. <span class="media-credit">Photo: Hugo Gester • Art Digital Studio</span>'>
Exceptionally passionate about Napoleon, Chalençon purchased his first artifact of the emperor at age 18 and spent the next four decades assembling a remarkable collection that traces the arc of Le Petit Caporal’s entire life. The result is a strikingly complete archive, beginning with Napoleon’s childhood and extending through his military triumphs, coronation and eventual exile on Saint Helena. “All the material comes to auction with provenances that you can only dream of: Napoleon, Joséphine, Marie-Louise, the Imperial family and so on,” Sotheby’s Paris head of sale Marine de Cenival told Observer. “Its appearance now, at a time when interest in Napoleon is at an all-time high, provides a wonderful opportunity for collectors to acquire their very own piece of French history.”
Standout items—many of which have been featured in exhibitions around the world—span eras, capturing both the grandeur of Napoleon’s empire and the vulnerability behind the myth. Among the highlights is one of Napoleon’s iconic bicorne hats, which he famously wore en bataille with the wings parallel to his shoulders—unlike most officers, who wore theirs front to back. Estimated at €500,000-800,000, the hat was crafted by Poupard, Napoleon’s official hatmaker, and gifted to General Mouton during the Battle of Essling in 1809 with the words: “My Mouton is a lion.”
Other key objects tied to Napoleon’s political and military career include the herald’s sword and baton used during his self-coronation at Notre-Dame de Paris on December 2, 1804 (estimate: €200,000-400,000), his personal gold and ebony imperial seal seized by the Prussians after his final defeat at Waterloo (estimate: €150,000-250,000) and a specially designed portable “campaign bed” crafted by his favored artisan, the aptly nicknamed “Father Desouches” (estimate: €40,000-60,000).
The sale also includes more intimate, emotionally charged items tied to his public image and private life—chief among them a set of emperor’s garments (estimate: €50,000-80,000), listed by Napoleon in his Inventory of my effects that Marchand will keep to deliver to my son. Entrusted to his loyal valet as “tokens of paternal affection,” the garments were ultimately returned to his mother, Madame Mère, after political upheaval derailed their intended journey.
One of the top lots is also among the most personal: the first codicil of Napoleon’s first testament, written in exile on Saint Helena during a period marked by illness, paranoia and isolation. Most such documents were destroyed by Napoleon himself, but this rare codicil survived thanks to General Bertrand, who preserved it and passed it down through his family. It comes to auction with an estimate of €300,000-500,000.
Another deeply evocative piece is the religious marriage certificate from one of history’s most storied love affairs: the union of Napoleon and Joséphine. Handwritten and ceremonially ornate, the document, which has an estimate of €30,000-50,000, embodies both political maneuvering and romantic grandeur—a gesture meant to satisfy both the Vatican and the French public. Yet it also foreshadows Joséphine’s eventual sacrifice to dynastic ambition.
Offered separately is a red folio believed to have held official documents of their divorce. As Napoleon moved to secure an heir after years of frustrated hope, the dissolution of their marriage marked a painful but strategic pivot in his rule. This rare folio—likely used for oversized edicts and decisions—carries an estimate of €50,000-80,000. Its twin, which contains smaller-format documents, is housed in the French National Archives.
Napoleon’s subsequent marriage to Marie-Louise of Austria on March 11, 1810, accomplished what his previous union could not: the birth of a dynastic heir, the “Roi de Rome.” Sotheby’s will present a collection of garments made for the newborn, many commissioned from the famed Parisian lace-maker la Veuve Minette, with an estimate of €50,000-80,000. For those drawn instead to Joséphine’s legacy, the auction includes a gilt-bronze mounted mahogany dressing table she commissioned for the Château de Saint-Cloud, offered at €200,000-400,000.
Several paintings reinforcing the emperor’s myth will hit the rostrum, including a contemporary copy of the iconic image of Napoleon on horseback. Originally painted by his favored artist Jacques-Louis David, this version—executed by Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse—is estimated at €30,000-50,000. Another regal portrait comes from the studio of François-Pascal-Simon Baron Gérard, depicting Emperor Napoleon I in the coronation robes worn on December 2, 1804, at Notre-Dame.
Also featured is Édouard Detaille’s patriotic tribute to Napoleon’s victorious Italian campaign of 1796-97, a painting charged with nationalistic fervor and idealism, estimated at €60,000-100,000. Standing in sharp contrast is Paul Delaroche’s far more psychological rendering of Bonaparte—a solitary figure confronting his downfall, physically diminished, emotionally shattered and fully aware of the weight of defeat—expected to sell for €150,000-250,000.
From myth to the deeply personal, the sale offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of one of history’s most iconic figures through the very objects that accompanied him, ensuring Napoleon’s legacy continues to resonate across generations. “Napoleon is not only one of the most famous French figures in world history, alongside Louis XIV, but also one of the most famous people in the world,” de Cenival said. “Having acquired rockstar status, his life and achievements continue to capture the imagination of so many, including leading film directors such as Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg. Not a week goes by without someone talking about Napoleon somewhere.”
In 2015, Pierre-Jean Chalençon’s collection was exhibited in several museums across China, drawing more than one million visitors, and from 2005 to 2011, his holdings were shown in institutions across the United States. “Many people now know more about Napoleon thanks to this collection, not least a new generation of admirers,” de Cenival added. Amid rising global interest in the Empire period—driven by record-breaking prices, an expanding collector base and renewed historical fascination—Sotheby’s has opted to preview key highlights from the sale in Hong Kong (May 23-27), followed by a showcase in New York (June 5-11).