Rendering #3

The article published on the website of the newspaper the Guardian on March 4, 2013 is headlined What can Spielberg learn about Napoleon from art? The article reports the information about the famous Steven Spielberg and his intention to create miniseries of Kubrick's Napoleon. The author of the article has a question: 'Does Steven Spielberg want a hero or a villain?' because the personality of Napoleon Banaparte was very complicated. Now that Steven Spielberg is making Kubrick's Napoleon into a miniseries, the potent images of Old Boney that loom in the art of Europe are likely to be studied by designers, cinematographers and actors.

It is not a secret that the attitude towards Napoleon was ambiguous. Not all artists were convinced, though – not even in France. For example Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres painted an official portrait of the emperor on his throne that somehow manages to make its sitter monstrous.

Napoleon's image even fascinated his enemies. The strangest official portrait of him can be found in a most unlikely place. Visit the home of Napoleon's nemesis the Duke of Wellington at Number 1 Hyde Park, and you will find Canova's nude marble statue of Napoleon. Made for Napoleon himself, it was given to Wellington as a war prize. It is a marvel – the conqueror of Europe as a naked curiosity.

At the end of the article it is emphasized that Spielberg has an amazing archive of Napoleonic portraits from which to resurrect this enigmatic historical personality. He is the great master of cinema industry and I suppose his work will be appreciated. 

My attitude towards Napoleon is ambiguous too. He was the hero of his time as well as Stalin and Hitler. To my mind our history can't exist without such strong personalities!