napoleon

The Fuji Museum in Tokyo, inaugurated on April 28 the exhibition « Napoleon Bonaparte, the man », in the presence of many personalities around Mr. Hiromasa Ikeda, representing President Ikeda. Present were Mr. Brassner Director of the Napoleon Association in the United States, his wife, members of the Napoleon family: Madame la Marquise du Lau d’Allemans, the Princess of Bourbon Sicily, the representative of the French Ministry of Culture, the cultural attaché of the French Embassy in Japan, representatives of the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs of Japan and the City of Tokyo. This inauguration was broadcast by the two most important national television stations in Japan.

This is the second exhibition dedicated to Napoleon by the Fuji Museum, the first, in 1993, had welcomed more than 2 million visitors. This new exhibition will be presented throughout Japan until the year 2001, in Tokyo, Osaka and in many national and regional museums.

A total of 500 precious objects form a prestigious and unique collection allowing us to trace the life of Napoleon. Among the most important are twenty-four pieces belonging to the collection of the Literary House of Victor Hugo, 16 of which are classified as historical monuments and national treasures. They were able to leave France, for the first time, with the active support of the French Ministry of Culture.

Among the items loaned by the Maison Littéraire are several ceremonial sabers that belonged to Joachim Murat King of Naples and Marshal of France, the watch of the young Bonaparte student in Brienne, clothes worn by the emperor during his exile in Saint Helena , a portrait of the King of Rome by Antoine Jean-Gros and the main piece of this exhibition: Napoleon’s seat in Saint Helena, completely restored with the help of the Ministry of Culture and shown to the public for the first time.

Thanks to the action of President Ikeda, founder of the Fuji Museum and the Literary House of Victor Hugo, the humanist and universal vision of this exhibition « The Man » Napoleon allows a strengthening of cultural ties between France and Japan, and more broadly, a creative projection of value towards the future.