Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769 - 1821, 1815 (watercolour, card, gilt)

Creator: Margaret Mercer Elphinstone; Comtesse de Flahault; Viscountess Keith; Baroness Nairne Though listed as a miniature this is more accurately a small watercolour portrait, including a painted false oval surround, in a lined grey card mount and gesso-moulded and gilded picture frame. Napoleon is shown head and shoulders, head half turned and looking to his right, in blue and white uniform with epaulettes and decorations (no hat), against a red-brown background. The mount is inscribed in gold at the bottom 'NAPOLEON' and 'M. Mercer Elphinstone fecit 1815'. The latter is repeated in ink on the reverse, which also bears a Colnaghi label and the fragmentary inscription ' Lady KE married the Conte de... whose son by... was duc de...'.