Portret van generaal Pierre Cambronne

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228a

Art Historical Context

### Portrait of General Pierrebronne This striking 1834 lithograph by French artist Antoine Fulcrandrière captures the resolute visage of General Pierre Camonne, a celebrated Napoleonic hero. Measuring 487 mm high by 332 mm wide, the portrait exemplifies lithography's rise as a democratic medium in the 19 century. Invented just decades earlier, lithography allowed for detailed, tonal reproductions from a single stone, making high portraits accessible beyond elite oil paintings and fueling the era's fascination with military legends. Cambronne earned immortality at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, reportedly defying the British with his defiant cry, "The Guard dies but never surrenders!" Though the quote's authenticity is debated, it symbolized French valor. Created nearly two decades later under the July Monarchy, Carrière's print reflects lingering Bonapartist nostalgia amid political shifts, honoring a figure who bridged Revolution and Empire. Bearing a collector's mark (Lugt 2228a) stamped verso, this piece hints at its prized status among connoisseurs. Carrière's precise lines and subtle shading evoke the subject's unyielding spirit, inviting visitors to ponder how lithography preserved such icons for posterity.