Napoleon’s Coronation as Emperor
In this detail from The Coronation of Napoleon and Josephine (1805–1807), Jacques-Louis David shows Napoleon crowning his wife at the ceremony of 1804. Napoleon orchestrated the entire event and took the only active role in it: Pope Pius VII gave his blessing to the ceremony (he can be seen seated behind Napoleon), but Napoleon crowned himself. What is the significance of Napoleon crowning himself? (Louvre, Paris, France / Bridgeman Images.)