Golden bees as Napoleon's imperial emblem and the Bonaparte family arms

The portrait of Napoleon at the recently closed exhibition "Salon 1819" at the Girodet Museum in Montargis, France, is strewn with golden bees, the emblem Napoleon chose as his imperial sign. Of no small importance to Napoleon, of course, was the fact that golden bees resemble the golden lilies of the French kings, albeit upside down. His origins did not permit a plain Corsican to make use of dynastic symbolism, whether his own or the royal one, so the bees came as a godsend. Even on the island of Saint Helena he kept this sign for himself, placing the bees on a white shield with no indication whatever of imperial rank. The Bonapartes still use golden bees in their family coat of arms to this day.

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September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

In the finale of the Strugatskys' Roadside Picnic, the Golden Ball is told: "Happiness for everybody, free, and let nobody go away unsatisfied!" I do not promise to offend nobody, but the digest really does come free of charge. So, here is the main business of the

Frederic Leighton

Frederic Leighton. “Daedalus and Icarus”, 1869 Daedalus warns his son not to climb too high: the heat of the sun may melt the wax, but Icarus is already gazing into the distance, and the lamentations of a foolish old man interest him not in the least

Golden bees as Napoleon's imperial emblem and the Bonaparte family arms

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September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

Frederic Leighton

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