19th Century France

Wednesday, 24th February 2016, 10.30 am – 3.30 pm

Venue: Dalmeny Hotel, St Annes

This Special Interest Day will comprise two lectures: The Collections of Napoleon and Josephine, and the Ups and Downs in the Lives of the Impressionists.

At the turn of the nineteenth century, Napoleon and Josephine were a trend setting couple. The lecture will offer a true insight into their characters and what it was that drove them by exploring their collections at Chateau de Malmaison.     The Chateau was purchased by Josephine in 1799 and is situated about nine miles west of the centre of Paris. The magnificent estate, which was bought as their country retreat and was made into a National Museum in 1905, contains a huge collection of their possessions.   The collected objects serve to show how the couple lived as royalty and how Josephine satisfied her craving to shop!

On their divorce Josephine received Malmaison in her own right, but following her death in 1814, Napoleon returned to the residence until his defeat at The Battle of Waterloo when he was exiled to Saint Helena.

We will also explore the French Empire under Napoleon’s nephew at a time of great change in and around Paris.

French Impressionist artists struggled to make a living and strived to gain recognition, a far cry from the universal popularity they have today. A tiny section of the Seine to the west of Paris, which  represented the perfect antidote to the claustrophobia of Mid 19th Century Paris, has  been termed the ‘Cradle of Impressionism’.   It was here in five neighbouring riverside villages that artists, who would later become known as the Impressionists, came to live and explore new motifs.  Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley and Morisot will be discovered in this lively lecture.

Programme for the Day

10.30 am – 11.00 am Refreshments on arrival in the St Annes Suite
11.00 am – 12.15 pm First Lecture
12.30 pm   A 3-Course Lunch in the Atrium with waiter service:  soup; a choice of meat or fish with vegetables; a vegetarian lunch will be available if requested; dessert
1.30 pm -2.00 pm. Refreshments will be available in the St Annes Suite
2.00 pm Second Lecture followed by any Questions
3.15 pm – 3.30 pm  Departure

Our NADFAS lecturer, Carole Petipher, is an experienced guide and lecturer in and around Paris with over 10 years experience on combined history/art tours in France. She uses art to explore the characters who shaped 19th century France and strives to uncover unknown truths in her lectures.

The cost is £38 per person which includes two lectures, refreshments and a three-course lunch. Booking forms will be available at our forthcoming lectures. Alternatively, you can download a form here.

Captions: Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette (Bal du moulin de la Galette), Musée d’Orsay, 1876
Jacques Louis David, The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries
Baron François Gérard, Joséphine in Coronation Costume

Below are photos of this Special Interest Day