Geboorte van Napoleon Frans Karel Jozef

About this artwork

Bronzen penning. Voorzijde: borststuk kind binnen omschrift. Keerzijde: Romeinse matrona met sluier, voorstellende Marie Louise houdt jonge Napoleon op arm binnen omschrift; afsnede: jaartal

Art Historical Context

This bronze medal, struck in 1811 by French medallist Bertrand Andrieu, commemorates the birth of Napoleon II, originally named Napoleon Franz Karl Joseph. As the only legitimate son of Napoleon Bonaparte and his second wife, Marie Louise of Austria, the infant represented the hoped-for continuation of the Napoleonic dynasty. Andrieu, a leading figure in Napoleonic medallic art, specialized in small-scale works that blended portraiture with imperial symbolism, helping to disseminate the emperor’s image across Europe. The obverse presents a tender bust of the newborn child, while the reverse portrays Marie Louise as a veiled Roman matrona cradling her son—an allusion to classical ideals of maternal virtue and dynastic legitimacy. This neoclassical imagery deliberately linked the new French empire to the grandeur of ancient Rome. At just 4.1 centimeters in diameter, the medal exemplifies the precision of struck metalwork, allowing detailed scenes to be reproduced for widespread distribution. Such pieces served both as official keepsakes and subtle instruments of propaganda, celebrating the arrival of an heir at the height of Napoleonic power. Today they offer visitors a tangible connection to the personal and political aspirations of the era.

About the Artist

Bertrand Andrieu · 1761–1822

French, Bordeaux 1761–1822 Paris