Author Description

"Three great names on the European stage at the beginning of the nineteenth century. With their conflict and friendship, two emperors, Tsar Alexander I and Napoleon Bonaparte, determined the fate of millions Europeans. A fascinating role was played by the intelligent Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's great love, the empress by his side and later a dear friend to Alexander. This book presents thes three historical figures, whose lives were closely intertwined, from the peace treaties signed on a raft in Tilsit in 1807 to themeeting between the Tsar and Josephine in Paris in 1814. Napoleon's Russian campaign of 1812 plays a central role. The war was the beginning of the end. One essay is devoted to the Dutch soldiers who fought with the French. The book portrays Josephine as a muse and companion, but also as an art collector, who left her heirs a fantastic array of works by masters such as Potter, van der Werff, Luini, and Canova. Special attention is devoted to the astonishing story of how her splendid dinner services and furniture found their way to St Petersburg. The book accompanies the exhibition of the same name in the Hermitage Amsterdam, with historical, personal, and exceptional art objects. It includes more than 150 illustrations."--