Exhibition Details

Symbols of Power: Napoleon and the Art of the Empire Style, 1800–1815, is a definitive survey of the decorative arts of the Empire style. Drawing extensively from French collections, this exhibition brings to St. Louis more than 140 extraordinary works and includes bronze, jewelry, porcelain, and silver as well as paintings and sculpture.

Created during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Empire style was intended to replace the frivolity and decadence of the arts of the French monarchy. The new style, based largely on the classical style of imperial Rome, emphasized austere forms and opulent materials and combined rich decoration, strong color, and monumental scale.

The Saint Louis Art Museum is the first United States venue for this magnificent exhibition, on view June 17 through September 16, 2007, in the Main Exhibition Galleries. It will also travel to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris.

Listen to a sample of the exhibition audio tour.