Napoleon receives the keys of Vienna (c.1812) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

Napoleon receives the keys of Vienna - Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres - c.1812

Artwork Information

TitleNapoleon receives the keys of Vienna
ArtistJean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Datec.1812
Art MovementNeoclassicism

About Napoleon receives the keys of Vienna

The artwork titled “Napoleon receives the keys of Vienna,” created by the eminent artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres around the year 1812, embodies the Neoclassical art movement and is categorized as a history painting. It depicts a significant historic event with aesthetic and ideological elements characteristic of Neoclassicism.

In the artwork, a prominent figure, signifying Napoleon, stands centrally, signifying prominence and authority. He is depicted receiving the symbolic keys to the city from a respectfully positioned figure, presumed to be a city official, communicating the subjugation of Vienna. Around these central figures, various onlookers are present, portraying a mix of responses, ranging from admiration to resignation. The attire of the figures is illustrative of the period, with Napoleon and his entourage adorned in military regalia, underscoring their power and victorious status.

The composition is carefully structured, with the figures arranged to guide the viewer’s eye towards the central action, where the handing of the keys takes place. The background is painted to depict an outdoor scene that lends context and grandeur to the historic occasion. The use of light and shadow highlights the central figures, thus accentuating the drama and significance of the moment captured by Ingres. The precision of form and clarity of line, as characteristic of Neoclassical artwork, reinforce the gravity and idealism of the historic narrative being presented.

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