Joséphine and the Arts of the Empire

Renowned for her exquisite taste, her talent for attracting the most gifted artists and artisans of her time, and her ability to further their careers, Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, had a profound and lasting effect on the arts of all Europe. "Josephine and the Arts of the Empire" presents, for the first time in a single volume, evidence of Josephine's far-reaching impact on painting, sculpture, garden design, the decorative arts, and even music. With the book's editor and principal author, Eleanor P. DeLorme, the eight contributors to this volume - M. Bernard Chevallier, Kimberly Chrisman Campbell, David Gildbert, Christopher Hartop, Peter Mithcell, Tamara Preaud, Diana Scarisbrick, and John Ward - are all experts in their respective fields. Their lively texts explore the salon culture that Josephine encouraged, the lavish interiors and gardens in which she walked, the fashions and jewellery she wore, the porcelain and silver that graced her table, and the music she heard. This book will appeal not only to scholars of early-nineteenth-century French art and history but also to dealers, collectors, and anyone interested in one of the most extraordinary women of her time.