Vintage miniature oil painting on board, depicting Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Purchased at the famous antique market in Arezzo, Italy, this piece is a finely detailed, hand-painted rendering after the iconic Neoclassical masterpiece by Jacques-Louis David. The lower right corner bears a stylized signature or artist cipher, with the title neatly inscribed at the bottom.
The reverse features a handwritten French label ("Armée française / Napoléon Bonaparte / Premier Consul / au passage des Alpes / d'après DAVID"), an authentic red wax seal, and a smaller label confirming it is a hand-painted oil work ("Peinture Huile / Fait Main"). The top of the reverse label features the handwritten Roman numeral sequence MDCDLXVII. This notation translates to 1967 and likely serves as a mid-20th-century French gallery ledger entry or a private estate inventory number, adding a wonderful layer of documented history to the piece.
Housed in its original, deep-profile wooden frame with a classic gold-gilt inner slip, this diminutive painting packs a big visual punch.
- 6.5ʺW × 1ʺD × 7.25ʺH
- France, mid 20th century
- Very good condition with beautiful, authentic character. The deep wooden frame exhibits light, age-appropriate wear and minor scuffs that enhance its historic aesthetic. Ready to hang.
