The King of Rome in Likeness of Love Sleeping, 1811

Roman forest

The child is pictured sleeping among the vegetation illuminated by a warm golden light. The setting, rather unusual, is in truth completely symbolic, since it was to be a reference to the environment in which Romulus, founder of Rome and its first king, as well as son of the god Mars, to whom is also attributed the fatherhood of the god Love, had grown.

Little Napoleon is depicted here in the form of Sleeping Love, not without ambitious references to the figure of Christ as the sleeping child.

Flowers and plants

Two stems of Fritillaria imperialis - red flowers also called Crown Imperial – rise at the child's feet. Leaning almost to cover and protect the little king of Rome, these Liliaceae plants refer to the maternal ascendancy of the newborn, that is the Habsburg Empire.

If myrtle is to be a further reference to Venus, then to love, laurel, of evident classical tradition, hints the destiny of glory and fame desired for the child, and, together with the golden yellow button flower, completes this vegetable cradle.

The colors

The child lies on a white sheet, just as white is the pillow on which his head rests; his limbs are covered with a purple drape, while a blue curtain falls to the side: the colors recompose the national French tricolor flag.