Field kit belonging to Napoleon I. Work instruments.

Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843)

    • Circa 1805
      Mahogany case, brass marquetry, mobile interior compartments in carved mahogany, green morocco trim; objects in vermeil (silver covered with a thin film of gold), silver, crystal, porcelain, tortoiseshell, ebony, ivory, steel, leather, silk
      Gift of Marshal Henri-Gatien Bertrand to the City of Paris in 1840
      OM608

Travel cases fascinate with their ingenious fittings. The one belonging to Napoleon I contains 109 items that fold and unfold inside a box of modest dimensions. The simplicity of the lines creating a visual unity among the objects is also admirable. Crystal and vermeil are the dominant tones. There are scarcely any motifs on the smooth surfaces, only chiseled palmettes on the edges of the pieces, engravings of the imperial coat of arms and, here and there, Napoleon’s initials. It contains instruments for work, a table setting and toiletry items.

Of the many travel cases ordered by the Emperor, this was his favorite because it was with him “in the morning on the great days of Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau and Friedland”. In his will, Napoleon Bonaparte bequeathed this case for his son.