A soldier, possibly from the English Civil War, looks with shock towards an arrow embedded in his chest. He sits, surrounded by foliage, holding a dagger in his right hand.
Drawer Drawings B87 no. 31
Acquired November 2022
“A colossal but life-like bust of Napoleon is placed on a mound of decollated human heads. He gazes fixedly upwards in profile to the left; round his neck and bare breast is twisted a noose of rope. Round this idol dance demons with human heads, holding hands. They are naked except for head-coverings, and have horns, hairy legs, tail, with one leg terminating in a cloven hoof, the other in the claw of a bird of prey. These ‘Hell Hounds’ have labels hanging from a collar of rope, showing that they are ‘Caulincourt’, ‘Fouché’, ‘Savory’, with a pen in his hat (he succeeded Fouché as Minister of Police in 1810), ‘Vandamme’, ‘Davoust’, ‘Ney’, ‘Lefebre’. Two demons fly towards the emperor, holding a large wreath which is on fire, with the inscription ‘He Deserves A Crown of Pitch.’ This they are about to place on the idol’s head, towards which gallops through the air a small demon (right) on a goat, blowing a horn. In the foreground lie dead and dying soldiers, one is decapitated, another (right) is naked and has lost an arm which he holds out with an agonized expression towards the idol. In the background (left) soldiers are feeding a bonfire with ‘English Goods’. On the right is a blazing town.”–British Museum online catalogue.
815.04.08.01+
Acquired November 2022
“The interior of a tent. Duroc, in his shirt, lies supported by a soldier on a wooden bed, while Napoleon (right) holds his right hand, turning away (to the right) and covering his face with his left hand. An officer stands solicitously beside the Emperor, supporting his left elbow. Another officer stands (left) behind the head of the low bed. On the extreme left a soldier bends over a table compounding medicaments. Duroc’s coat and sword lie on a camp-stool, beside his hat and boots. A glimpse of the distant camp is seen on the extreme right, where a Mameluke stands by the tent holding Napoleon’s horse. Duroc is addressing the Emperor, with his left arm extended. Their words are etched below the title: “Duroc, “My whole life has been consecrated to your service, nor do I regret its loss, but for the use it still might have been of to your Buonaparte, “Duroc!” there is a life to come; it is there you are going to wait for me, and where we shall one day meet again!” Duroc, “Yes Sire! but that will not be these thirty years, when you will have triumphed over your enimies [sic], and realised all the hopes of your country, I have lived an honest man: I have nothing to reproach myself with, ah! Sire! go away this sight gives you pain–Be, “Farewell then my friend”.”–British Museum online catalogue.
813.06.09.01
Acquired November 2020