DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.29195#0106
Tableaux vivants
ropean union (it is well to remember that Napoleon had brought in a single currency
called the eura). The next passage in Potocki’s book is redolent with the tremendous adu-
lation of Napoleon we have already mentioned. The Emperor was the pioneer of modern
political propaganda and visual communication, as we know, and he had an expert hand
for exerting an influence on his army and building up his image in the eyes of the aris-
tocracy. Although probably his best-known portraits are the ones which show him in his
coronation robes (one, as we have said, hangs in the Palace), for everyday wear, and even
at gala balls, his garments were more than modest, in dramatic contrast to the apparel
of his marshals and ministers. This point did not escape the notice of Leon Potocki and
a number of other eye-witnesses of whose recollections he made use (see Fig. 93).
Potocki continued his story: Napoleon took a few steps, stoppedfor a while and bowed
to the ladies, whereupon he hastily approached the Prince ofBavaria and the Prince heir
to the throne ofBaden, andpolitely greeted both ofthem. He was dressed in the uniform of
the Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde Imperiale, with a dark green coat and red collar with
green lapels and red piping around the edges, white knee-breeches, white silk stockings,
andgold buckles on his shoes. He woregold epaulettes with a bullion fringe and the star of
the Legion d’honneur, the red ribbon ofwhich hung down from his right shoulder to his
left side. At his side he had an epee with a golden hilt overlaid with mother-of-pearl and
a silver lanyard. In his hand he had the small three-cornered hat to which the crowns of
Europe bowed. What a strange contrast that simple and modest apparel on the most pow-
erful man in the worlA made with the sumptuous uniforms of the company around him
- Murat's theatrically fantastic uniform, thegold embroidery on the French marshals and
generals, those multi-coloured hussars'dolman coats, the diverse colours on the uniforms of
the sundry French regiments, the white coats and scarlet breeches of the Austrian officers!
Finally the time came to greet the Poles, Prince Jozef, who was not at all well known
in Warsaw at the time (he only became widely known and famous after the Battle
of Raszyn in 1809), the mistress of the Palace, and the other ladies. Potocki went on
to describe the Polish ladies: the older ones were dressed in velvet or silk gowns with a
long train; the others had robes made of dijferent fabrics and trains, each with a turban
orplumes for a headdress. Theyounger ones were in light dresses ofmuslin, crepe, or tulle,
with a very high bodice and attached to it a pink, blue, green, or beige tunic skirt, all of
them with a low neckline, too low in fact; their hair styled a la Grecque and decorated
with flowers or a diadem ofprecious stones. Napoleon came up to the ladies and talkedfor
a while with Mrs. Potocka, the wife ofStanislaw; and with her daughter-in law, the wife
of Aleksander [Anna nee Tyszkiewicz]; with the wife ofMr. Referendary Tyszkiewicz,
Prince Jozef’s sister; and with Mrs. Sobolewska, wife ofMr. Starost Sobolewski.
Prince Murat informed the Emperor (as Potocki’s account continues) that they were
waitingfor him with the concert. Napoleon was the first to enter the other hall, followed
by the ladies, and then the rest ofthe company. The women seated themselves on the chairs
that had been put out. The Emperor took a seat in thefront row between Mrs. Walewska,
the wife ofAnastazy Walewski; and Mrs. Potocka, the wife of Stanislaw. The Prince of
Baden sat next to Mrs. Walewska, and the Prince of Bavaria was next to Mrs. Potocka.
The concert opened with the overture to Mozart’s Magic Flute, after which Mrs. Pueva
and her husband, together or in turn, sangairs from recent operas by Cimarosa andPaer.
During the concert the Emperor conversed with the beautiful Walewska, who was able to
The concert,
the dancing,
and the
beautifui Maria
Walewska
ropean union (it is well to remember that Napoleon had brought in a single currency
called the eura). The next passage in Potocki’s book is redolent with the tremendous adu-
lation of Napoleon we have already mentioned. The Emperor was the pioneer of modern
political propaganda and visual communication, as we know, and he had an expert hand
for exerting an influence on his army and building up his image in the eyes of the aris-
tocracy. Although probably his best-known portraits are the ones which show him in his
coronation robes (one, as we have said, hangs in the Palace), for everyday wear, and even
at gala balls, his garments were more than modest, in dramatic contrast to the apparel
of his marshals and ministers. This point did not escape the notice of Leon Potocki and
a number of other eye-witnesses of whose recollections he made use (see Fig. 93).
Potocki continued his story: Napoleon took a few steps, stoppedfor a while and bowed
to the ladies, whereupon he hastily approached the Prince ofBavaria and the Prince heir
to the throne ofBaden, andpolitely greeted both ofthem. He was dressed in the uniform of
the Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde Imperiale, with a dark green coat and red collar with
green lapels and red piping around the edges, white knee-breeches, white silk stockings,
andgold buckles on his shoes. He woregold epaulettes with a bullion fringe and the star of
the Legion d’honneur, the red ribbon ofwhich hung down from his right shoulder to his
left side. At his side he had an epee with a golden hilt overlaid with mother-of-pearl and
a silver lanyard. In his hand he had the small three-cornered hat to which the crowns of
Europe bowed. What a strange contrast that simple and modest apparel on the most pow-
erful man in the worlA made with the sumptuous uniforms of the company around him
- Murat's theatrically fantastic uniform, thegold embroidery on the French marshals and
generals, those multi-coloured hussars'dolman coats, the diverse colours on the uniforms of
the sundry French regiments, the white coats and scarlet breeches of the Austrian officers!
Finally the time came to greet the Poles, Prince Jozef, who was not at all well known
in Warsaw at the time (he only became widely known and famous after the Battle
of Raszyn in 1809), the mistress of the Palace, and the other ladies. Potocki went on
to describe the Polish ladies: the older ones were dressed in velvet or silk gowns with a
long train; the others had robes made of dijferent fabrics and trains, each with a turban
orplumes for a headdress. Theyounger ones were in light dresses ofmuslin, crepe, or tulle,
with a very high bodice and attached to it a pink, blue, green, or beige tunic skirt, all of
them with a low neckline, too low in fact; their hair styled a la Grecque and decorated
with flowers or a diadem ofprecious stones. Napoleon came up to the ladies and talkedfor
a while with Mrs. Potocka, the wife ofStanislaw; and with her daughter-in law, the wife
of Aleksander [Anna nee Tyszkiewicz]; with the wife ofMr. Referendary Tyszkiewicz,
Prince Jozef’s sister; and with Mrs. Sobolewska, wife ofMr. Starost Sobolewski.
Prince Murat informed the Emperor (as Potocki’s account continues) that they were
waitingfor him with the concert. Napoleon was the first to enter the other hall, followed
by the ladies, and then the rest ofthe company. The women seated themselves on the chairs
that had been put out. The Emperor took a seat in thefront row between Mrs. Walewska,
the wife ofAnastazy Walewski; and Mrs. Potocka, the wife of Stanislaw. The Prince of
Baden sat next to Mrs. Walewska, and the Prince of Bavaria was next to Mrs. Potocka.
The concert opened with the overture to Mozart’s Magic Flute, after which Mrs. Pueva
and her husband, together or in turn, sangairs from recent operas by Cimarosa andPaer.
During the concert the Emperor conversed with the beautiful Walewska, who was able to
The concert,
the dancing,
and the
beautifui Maria
Walewska