Death Mask of Napoleon I Sulphide Paperweight

Death masks, generally made from plaster or wax, have been used for centuries to record, commemorate and mourn the dead. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it became customary to make death masks of not only deceased royalty and nobility, but also prominent poets, philosophers, scientists, and military or political leaders. The great French commander, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who had been the first emperor of France, was no exception. Napoleon's original death mask was created on May 7, 1821, and from that impression, subsequent casts were made.