The daily life of Napoléon I comes alive in Montreal

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

MONTREAL, Canada – As a rare occasion in its 185-year history, the Crypt of the Notre‑Dame Basilica will open its doors to the public as the venue for the Treasures of Napoléon, an unsurpassed exhi

MONTREAL, Canada – As a rare occasion in its 185-year history, the Crypt of the Notre‑Dame Basilica will open its doors to the public as the venue for the Treasures of Napoléon, an unsurpassed exhibition showcasing the life of Napoléon I. Designed to allow visitors a remarkably intimate look at a truly legendary figure, the exhibit will be open in this fabulous setting until September 1.

The exhibition, which includes more than 350 priceless objects that once belonged to Napoléon, will interest not only art lovers but aficionados of architecture, the decorative arts and fashion as well. Visitors of all ages will be captivated by this unique excursion through time, back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Visitors will be able to admire paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, decorative art objects, furniture, porcelain and tapestries characterizing the “Empire” style. A number of objects on display have never before been shown in public.

While most of the items come from the privately owned Chalençon Collection in Paris, the exhibition also includes items from the Serge Joyal Collection, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Power Corporation Collection.

“It’s an honour to house these works which, like the Notre-Dame Basilica itself, have survived the course of history and come to us now as witnesses to the past,” said Yoland Tremblay, executive director of the Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal. “We want to provide an extraordinary exhibition in an atmosphere filled with myth, and I hope visitors will truly enjoy this time capsule of Napoléon’s world.”

“Visitors to Treasures of Napoléon will have an opportunity to discover a major historical panorama of Napoléon and his times,” said the Chalençon Collection’s owner, Pierre-Jean Chalençon, who is in Montreal for the official opening. “Napoleon had a wide-ranging influence on our society in a great many areas, and even today this legacy can be appreciated in numerous forms. This is what I want visitors to the exhibition to see.”

“Napoléon is no stranger to the imaginative life of French Canadians,” said the Hon. Serge Joyal. “Very early on, people adopted him as a model of bravery, resistance and courage in the face of all his adversaries. Presenting him in an exhibit here in Montreal will recall, for many, memories that are still intimately bound up with our cultural identity.”

This exploration of Napoléon and his world includes five sections: Josephine and the Coronation, Marie-Louise and the King of Rome, Napoléon and His Family, The Arts at the Napoléonic Court, and Napoléon on Saint-Hélène.

The exhibition, which opens today, will continue until September 1.

DETAILS OF EXHIBIT

Exhibition Period
May 16 to September 1, 2014

Address:
Crypt of the Notre-Dame Basilica (Espace B)
444 Saint-Sulpice Street, Old Montreal QC H2Y 2V5

Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (admissions close at 5:00 pm)

Ticket sales at the exhibition will end one hour before closing time.
Promotional discounts may not be combined and will apply only to adult admissions at regular price.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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