First Empire - Tumblr Posts
Soooo I’m a little bit at a loss and just simply try to post… something, I guess??? 😂
Few drawings from the past year which I still adore!
The first one represents count Michail Andreevich Miloradovich, one of the bravest and most restless generals of the Russian Empire during Napoleonic wars. 🇷🇺🇷🇸🇺🇦 ✨
The second one shows Dominique-Jean baron Larrey, famous french field surgeon. 🇫🇷🩸
And in the third picture we have the one and only Armand Augustin Louis marquis de Caulaincourt, french general and diplomat who served twice as french ambassador in Saint-Petersburg. 🇫🇷✒️🗡
Haven’t posted much of my fan art lately because of all the information I wanted to share but in the end of a year the urge of summing up the results of your persistent work becomes too strong. :)
That’s why I bring you today a small parallel: the first fan art I completed this year vs the last one I finished a week ago.
The first one was actually inspired by story that happened during the age of Consulate when Lannes got huge debt because of Napoleon’s inadequate conduct. Fortunately, Augereau was able to save him through the immense possessions which he acquired in Italy. In the end this particular drawing became some kind of a tribute to their friendship as I adore it very much! ❤️
And the second one is about… er… Metternich’s talent of persuasion that he had to use in 1813 since he needed to put in the head of the allied forces the man he could trust the most. Schwarzenberg is somewhat hesitant but oh well, how can he oppose the will of a chancellor…
I guess, at some point it’s just Austrian traumatic experience with the Empire’s budget made someone like Gentz who, I assume, just couldn’t stay aside of any news concerning French politics write about such miraculous possessions! 😂
Assumptions and reality
From a letter by Austrian politician Friedrich von Gentz to Johannes Müller, professor at the Prussian university of Göttingen:
Vienna, July 6, 1805
[… Bonaparte], who has just named his stepson viceroy of Italy, with 10 million livres of Milan for the organization of his dignity, and 6 million of annual income, and furthermore promised him, as a fief attached to the French Empire, the duchies of Parma and Piacenza! […]
Eugène: [eyes bulging]
Eugène: [sidelong glance at Napoleon]
Napoleon: Don’t you even dare to ask.
These Austrian assumptions about Eugène’s position as viceroy are particularly funny when compared to one of the first letters Eugène wrote to Napoleon from Milan:
Milan, June 13, 1805
[…] I then spent an hour with Containi to review the final budget of the royal household […]. It seemed to me that my particular expenses, such as valets, librarian, wardrobe, etc., had been forgotten. The Secretary of State demands an annual sum for the expenses of the Council of State; there is no mention of this anywhere, and he must submit to the Minister of Finance a draft budget for this part, to which budget I will attach a sum for the couriers. There are no funds allocated for this expenditure, and I beg Your Majesty to believe that I will make the greatest economy in this matter. However, while Your Majesty is in Italy, I cannot make use of the post office, which only leaves once or twice a week for this or that place. […]
Eugène: Look, sire, if you want me to be all vice-regal and stuff, you could at least give me more pocket money.
Napoleon: [menacing glance]
Eugène: Well, you could at least pay for the stamps if I have to write to you on a daily basis!