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Let me introduce myself: Louis François Lejeune. I was born in 1775 in Strasbourg, one year after Louis XVI became king of France. When the French Revolution broke out, I was studying painting with the landscape artist Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes and at the Royal Academy of Painting. At the time, France was threatened on all sides by foreign armies intent on invading her. So, aged 17, I enlisted in the army like many young people of my age, and I then had a fine career. I accompanied the young general Bonaparte in his military expeditions and I continued to serve him when he became emperor under the name of Napoleon I. Altogether, I took part in 17 campaigns and I was wounded several times. In recognition, I was promoted

to general! But while I was fighting with my rifle I continued to work with my pain brushes. I painted the battles in which I took part: so I was half soldier and half painter! My canvases

are both fine examples of painting and valuable historical documents, a bit like the photographs of war brought back by the outstanding reporters today! I am very pleased to see them exhibited

today in the Palace of Versailles, alongside works by other artists of my time.

If you are not afraid of the smell of gunpowder and the whinnying of horses, follow me around the rooms. We will play a game together. Welcome to the exhibition!

Hello,

Here is a portrait of me painted by another artist. I also often put myself into my paintings! Have fun finding me in the exhibition!

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campaigns

French Revolution ConsulateEmpire

A = 11 21 20 18 9 3 8 9 5 14 14 5

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I was 17 when I became a soldier and was sent to the Northern army. I joined the Engineering Corps which supervised the military constructions and the movement of troops and equipment. Here we are building a bridge with boats near Dusseldorf to allow the French army to cross the Rhine.

1. Coded enemies!Ro

oms

1 an

d 2

Decipher the secret code to find the name of the enemy army that we want to surprise!

Cluecode

Decipher it

Have you found it? Let’s go before the battle… Stop in room 2 in front of this metal telescope sheathed in shagreen. In your opinion, shagreen is the skin of a: ray, a crocodile or a slug?

Noël-Jean Lerebours (1761-1840), telescope of general Lejeune, Paris, late 18th century, optical glass, metal sheathed with shagreen, Paris, private collection.

The First Crossing of the Rhine in 1795 (6 September), in the Duchy of Berg, by Jourdan and Kléber, palace of Versailles.

Austerlitz, before becoming the name of a train station in Paris, was the name of the most important battle that Napoleon ever waged against the armies of Austria and Russia, on 2 December 1805. In this painting I wanted to show the preparations made before the battle. As I wrote in the accompanying notes for it, I painted the bivouac of the Emperor on the plains of Moravia…

2. True or false?Ro

om 3

Hey, extracts from the notes on other paintings have been inserted by mistake! Say if they are True or False!

True False

True False

True False

Bonaparte warming himself before a fire near which he spent the night…

A dog howls beside its master killed the day before…

A Frenchman gives brandy to a wounded Austrian…

The Mamluk (Turkish or Arab servant) in the personal service of the Emperor folds up a fur blanket…

True False

Soldiers lacking wood to warm themselves demolish a house… True False

True FalseThe Mamluks jump from the boat or into the Nile….

View of a bivouac of the Emperor in the plains of Moravia, on one of the days before the Battle of Austerlitz, in December 1805, Salon of 1808, palace of Versailles.

Now we go back in time to when Napoleon was still only general Bonaparte (Bonaparte was called Napoleon when he was crowned as Emperor) and launched his Egyptian campaign! Don’t forget your sunglasses and sun-block cream because it’s going to be hot!

A B C

In 1798, Bonaparte set out for Egypt to try to cut off the route to India for the English, another enemy of France. I was not there with him, but like many artists of my time, I painted the famous battles of this campaign, the battles of the Pyramids, Abukir and Mount Thabor, using documents brought back by the scientists and generals who accompanied Bonaparte.

3. Can you spot it?Ro

om 4

Draw a ring on the painting around the clue that tells you that this picture really shows the Battle of the Pyramids that took place on 21 July 1798!

And find among these Egyptian shadows the one that corresponds to the three pyramids of Kheops, Khephren and Mykerinos!

Now we go back to Europe, in the direction of Spain where Napoleon decided that his brother would become the king with the name of Joseph I…

The Battle of the Pyramids (21 July 1798), palace of Versailles.

5

1

2

A

BC

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3

4

4. What’s up?

A little tune on the guitar to entertain you?

Room

5The Spanish people were not at all pleased with the arrival of Joseph I on the Spanish throne in 1808, and they revolted! Napoleon immediately sent his troops! But the French army was defeated at the Battle of Baylen… I was taken prisoner in 1811 between Toledo and Madrid. Here is the moment when I arrived as a captive in Merida (a city then occupied by a detachment of the English army), stark-naked!

What a noisy scene! Who says what?

Reception in the English billets at Merida in Estramadura on 1 May 1811, 1828, Paris, private collection.

I was very glad to get my clothes back again. Otherwise I would have died of the cold during my last military campaign…which took place in Russia! Follow me to the Battle of Borodino! And wrap up well!

Water, quickly! I’ve come many kilometres with Lejeune on my back, and he’s heavy even without his clothes!

Here you are, my friend, some clothes and underwear!

And I offer you my hat.

I mark the entrance of the city and it is said that I was built in honour of the Emperor Trajan in the 2nd century AD.

A

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C

F

I

B

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5. Battle of detailsRo

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Which of these details belong to my painting?

The Battle of Borodino, 1822, palace of Versailles.

Alas, when the French arrived in Moscow they found that the city had been burned down, so they had to make their retreat during the icy Russian winter. The Grand Army was decimated and the Empire greatly weakened... The Battle of Borodino (which the French call the Battle of the Moskova) was the last great battle that I painted! Check out the solutions to the games on the next page!

In 1812, Napoleon sent his Grand Army to conquer Russia, one of the rare parts of Europe that he had not annexed! The Battle of Borodino, which was one of the bloodiest of his campaigns, opened up the way to Moscow for him. To find out the positions of the enemy troops, I went on several pretty dangerous reconnaissance missions the day before the battle, and I handed over my sketches to Napoleon.

Practical informationNapoleon’s WarsLouis François Lejeune, general and painter14 February to 13 MayIn the Palace of Versailles

Exhibition open every day except Mondays from 9 am to 5:30 pm from 14 February to 31 March and from 9 am to 6:30 pm from 1 April to 13 May. Free admission to the Palace and the exhibition for those under 26 years of age who are residents of the European Union. Exhibition accessible with the Passport or the Palace ticket.

Save time by buying your tickets online on www.chateauversailles.fr

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Solutions1/ The word deciphered is: Austrian. Shagreen is the skin of a ray.

2/ True - False - False - True - False - True

3/ The clue is: the pyramids in the background. The right shadow is A.

4/ 1E - 2C - 3B - 4A - 5D

5/ The right details are: B - D - F - I

All the paintings, except if mentioned otherwise and page 2, are by Louis François Lejeune (1775-1848). Photo credits: Versailles, © château de Versailles/

Dist.RMN/Jean-Marc Manaï (for all the images except The Crossing of the Rhine, Paris, © RMN-château de Versailles/Gérard Blot and Jean Schormans).

Le Petit Léonard, the magazine introducing children from 7 year of age to the world of art. To subscribe or order back numbers: www.lepetitleonard.comBlog: leblog.lepetitleonard.com

Game booklet produced by Le Petit Léonard, the magazine introducing children to the world of art. Editions Faton BP 71769 21017 Dijon Cedex. www.faton.fr