[Isabey (Jean-Baptiste); Fontaine (P.-F.-L.); Percier (Charles)]

Le Sacre de S.M. L'Empereur Napoléon: Dans l'église métropolitaine de Paris, Célébré le dimanche 2 décembre 1804, Limited edition, one of 100 copies, 38 unbound engravings by Malbeste, Dupré, Dequeue-Vauviller, Delvaux, etc. after Isabey, Percier and Fontaine, occasional foxing, 74.5 x 52 cm, Paris, Imprimerie Impériale, 1805-1815.

*** Depiction of the main steps of Napoleon’s coronation (’la sortie du palais des Tuileries’, ‘l'arrivée à Notre-Dame’, ‘les Onctions’, ‘le Couronnement’, ‘les Offrandes’, ‘le Serment’, ‘distribution des Aigles au Champs de Mars’), with descriptions of the paintings and information on the various costumes of the Emperor, the Empress, the Pope, the Prince and Princess, etc.

All the greatest artists and engravers of the time were involved in the illustration of this lavish project which, according to Segur, cost 194,436 French francs. Because the work was not published until after the fall of Napoleon almost all the edition was immediately sequestrated. Some copies were however given to the artists and members of the Imperial government, while other copies were obtained privately and at great expense before the edition was later released onto the open market.

Jean-Baptiste Isabey, a close friend of Josephine and Bonaparte, was asked by the future emperor to take care of the artistic choices for the coronation; he also designed all of the costumes used during the ceremony.