CHINARD, Joseph

Lyon, Rhône 1756 - Lyon, Rhône 1813

L'impératrice Joséphine

Bust of Empress Josephine

1805

terracotta

bust

Dimensions (HxWxD): 11 ⁵⁄₈ x 6 ¹¹⁄₁₆ x 4 ⁵⁄₁₆ in.

inscribed on front of base in ligature: chinard a milan
inscribed on back of base in ligature: chinard / de / l'institut n[al?] / membre de plusiere [sp] / academies / milan-an 1 [3?]

Acc. No.: 1994.125

Credit Line: Bequest of Ethlyne J. Seligman

Photo credit: The Cleveland Museum of Art

© Artist : public domain

© Artist : public domain

Cleveland, Ohio, The Cleveland Museum of Art

www.clevelandart.org

Provenance

• 1805, this bust was sculpted in Milan when the Empress Josephine accompanied Napoleon to that city for his coronation as the King of Italy
• Paris, Comte de Penha Longa
• 1911, 2 December, Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, Penha Longa sale, possibly sold to André J. Seligman
• possibly Paris, André J. Seligman
• possibly by inheritance to his son and daughter-in-law Germain and Ethlyne J. Seligman
• possibly Germain and Ethlyne J. Seligman
• 1978, upon his death, by inheritance to Ethlyne J. Seligman
• Ethlyne J. Seligman
• upon her death, held in trust by the estate
• 1994, Estate of Ethlyne J. Seligman, by bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art

Related works

• Several almost identical versions exist which may vary in the inscriptions and details of costume.
  A related marble bust of Josephine is now in the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.

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