Seconde Vue du Champ-de-Mai et de la Prestation du Serment par les Troupes - Pierre Michel Alix

A detailed historical aquatint by Pierre Michel Alix documenting the 1815 Champ-de-Mai ceremony in Paris, featuring Napoleon and his troops.

This historical print by Pierre Michel Alix depicts the Champ-de-Mai ceremony held on 1 June 1815 at the Champ de Mars in Paris. This event occurred during the Hundred Days, the final period of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule. The scene captures the Emperor on a raised platform, surrounded by his retinue, as he distributes eagles to the National Guard and the Imperial Guard. The composition is structured to convey the scale of the gathering, with rows of soldiers extending towards the École Militaire in the background.

Alix, a skilled engraver known for his work in aquatint, employs a precise technique to render the uniforms, the architectural backdrop, and the formal arrangement of the troops. The hand-colouring adds clarity to the various military regalia, distinguishing the different units present at the ceremony. The text at the bottom of the print provides a contemporary account of the proceedings, detailing the oath taken by the soldiers to defend the nation and the throne.

As a visual record of a specific political moment, the work functions as a piece of propaganda and historical documentation. It reflects the atmosphere of the period, where public displays of loyalty were used to consolidate support for the Emperor before his final campaign. The print offers a view into the visual culture of the early nineteenth century, where such engravings were the primary means of disseminating news of state events to the public. The clarity of the lines and the balanced composition are characteristic of the period's preference for order and legibility in historical depictions. This print remains a valuable source for studying the iconography of the Napoleonic era and the specific ceremonial practices of the French military during the final months of the First Empire.