The Caesar of Paris: Napoleon Bonaparte, Rome, and the Artistic Obsession that Shaped an Empire

by Susan Jaques

A monumental cultural history of Napoleon Bonaparte’s fascination with antiquity and how it shaped Paris’ artistic landscape.

Napoleon is one of history’s most fascinating figures. But his complex relationship with Rome—both with antiquity and his contemporary conflicts with the Pope and Holy See—have undergone little examination.

In The Caesar of Paris , Susan Jaques reveals how Napoleon’s dueling fascination and rivalry informed his effort to turn Paris into “the new Rome”— Europe’s cultural capital—through architectural and artistic commissions around the city. His initiatives and his aggressive pursuit of antiquities and classical treasures from Italy gave Paris much of the classical beauty we know and adore today.

Napoleon had a tradition of appropriating from past military greats to legitimize his regime—Alexander the Great during his invasion of Egypt, Charlemagne during his coronation as emperor, even Frederick the Great when he occupied Berlin. But it was ancient Rome and the Caesars that held the most artistic and political influence and would remain his lodestars. Whether it was the Arc de Triopmhe, the Venus de Medici in the Louvre, or the gorgeous works of Antonio Canova, Susan Jaques brings Napoleon to life as never before.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, Art

624 pages, Hardcover

Published December 4, 2018

About the author

Susan Jaques holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA. Susan lives in Los Angeles where she's a gallery docent at the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Reviews

[Jalen Sowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched, but 200 pages too long. Chased every rabbit trail imaginable.

Half of it was history about Napoleon, and half of it was his contributions and interest in the arts, which I wasn’t too interested in but give insight to his values.

Overall, good book, glad I read it but wouldn’t read it again

[Patricia Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

it took a long time to read four hundred eighty pages of this book, but I learnt more about Napoleon that I knew before I read this book. it seems that all great historical men/leaders are intense on their mission. Napoleon was driven by history of battles and other great leaders and attempted to follow their plans of action. did not realize the wide spread looting that happened to the sacked town after Napoleon left. the number of art works take and repurposed to Paris was unbelieveable. perhaps you do see that in the number of museums in Paris and all that all fills them. on my next Paris visit will have to see his place of entombment to pay honor to one of France's leaders.

[Mardi Herrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of the most boring and belabored biographies I've ever read. It's jampacked with artistic and historical detail to the point where it disconcertingly detracts from its subject. Could hardly wait to finish it. Cannot see where the author is a journalist who comments on art.

[Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book on the cultural side of Napoleon’s regime, and what he and his associates repurposed from Rome.

[John Clary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is better in some ways as a history of
Napolean than Andrew Robert's bio.