Design for the Letter N of a Pictoral Alphabet: Napoléon
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-789
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Victor Vincent Adam’s *Design for the Letter N a Pictoral Alphabet:éon* captures the enduring fascination with the French emperor in the years after his fall. Created around 1830 by the Parisian artist and lithographer, the drawing forms part of an inventive alphabet in which each letter a figure or object tied to Napoleon’s life and legend. Adam, known for his lively depictions of military and equestrian subjects, brings a sense of movement and drama even to this preparatory study. The timing is significant: produced during the July Monarchy, when official censorship of Napoleonic imagery ha...