Napoleon Crossing the Alps

“Napoleon Crossing the Alps” is a series of five oil on canvas equestrian portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte painted by the French artist Jacques-Louis David between 1801 and 1805. The painting depicts Napoleon Bonaparte leading his army through the Alps on a mule, a journey Napoleon and his army of soldiers made in the spring of 1800 in an attempt to surprise the Austrian army in Italy. The painting is part of the Château de Malmaison collection in Rueil-Malmaison, France.

Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825) was a prominent French Neoclassical painter and one of the leading figures in the art scene during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a significant role in the transition from Rococo to Neoclassicism and became the official painter of the French Revolution. David's paintings are known for their classical themes, strict adherence to form, and a focus on moral and political ideals.