1807, Friedland
ca. 1861-75
Ernest Meissonier spent a staggering fourteen years perfecting this massive depiction of Napoleon and his troops following the Battle of Friedland. You can almost hear the trumpets blaring and the horses' hooves thundering across the grassy field as the Emperor, mounted on his white horse, is cheered by his ecstatic soldiers. Obsessed with historical accuracy, the artist actually purchased a farm near the original battlefield just to capture the exact quality of light and terrain. It’s a masterclass in Academic art, proving that sometimes the most epic historical moments require a little bit of extreme patience to get right.
Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
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