The Coronation O... — 6000x3773 Jacques Louis David,

Napoleon’s mother, Maria Letizia Ramolino , is prominently seated in the center background even though she did not actually attend the ceremony.

Commissioned by Napoleon, the work served as a massive propaganda tool to solidify his legitimacy. David famously altered several details to suit the Emperor's image: 6000x3773 Jacques Louis David, The Coronation o...

The Coronation of Napoleon is a monumental oil painting completed in 1807 that depicts the crowning of Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Joséphine. Measuring approximately 20 feet tall by 32 feet wide (6.21 m × 9.79 m), it is one of the largest and most famous works in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Key Historical & Artistic Facts Napoleon’s mother, Maria Letizia Ramolino , is prominently

Jacques-Louis David included a self-portrait in the gallery as a witness to the event, shown sketching the scene. Measuring approximately 20 feet tall by 32 feet wide (6

The painting captures the ceremony on December 2, 1804 , at Notre-Dame Cathedral. Specifically, it shows Napoleon—having already crowned himself—placing the crown on his wife, Joséphine , who is kneeling before him.

The composition follows strict neoclassical rules, using clear vertical axes (such as the central gold cross) and diagonal lines to direct the viewer’s attention to Napoleon.