Portrait of Napoleon I Bonaparte, Waterloo Museum Print

What it is

This is a black-and-white engraved portrait print of Napoleon Bonaparte, printed in 1817 and sold at the Waterloo Museum in Paris, now held by the Rijksmuseum. It shows him in a high-collared military uniform with epaulettes and a star-shaped decoration, captioned with his name.

Why it matters

The print was made and sold just two years after Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo and while he was exiled on St Helena. Images like this, tied to a museum built around the battle that ended his rule, show how quickly his image became part of popular memory and commercial memorabilia even after he lost power.

Look closer

• Why would a print of Napoleon be sold at a museum devoted to the battle that defeated him?
• What does the formal, dignified style of this portrait suggest compared to the satirical caricatures made of him?
• Who do you think bought prints like this, and why?