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| Title | The Execution of Marshal Ney | |
| Collection | Sheffield Galleries & Museums Trust | |
| Artist | Gérôme, Jean-Léon (French painter and sculptor, 1824-1904) | |
| Date Earliest | possibly about 1855 | |
| Date Latest | possibly about 1865 | |
| Signed | yes | |
| Description | One of the most famous Napoleonic generals comes to an inglorious end. Ney's corpse lies in the foreground while the execution squad march away and their commander glances over his shoulder at the body. Marshal Ney was one of the most heroic figures of the Napoleonic era. He rose to senior command under Napoleon and was renowned both for his personal bravery and for his victories. However, when Napoleon was exiled to Elba in 1814 Ney swore allegiance to the restored Bourbon monarchy only to renege as soon as Napoleon escaped and resumed power. Called upon to surrender at Waterloo, he is supposed to have said, 'The Old Guard dies but never surrenders!' though others reported he simply swore. He was arrested for treason and shot in Paris on 7 December 1815. His trial divided people as he was still viewed by many as a hero. Jean-Léon Gérôme was one of France's best known classical painters. He studied in Paris and Italy. In 1863 he became a professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He is best known for his history paintings, often based on Greek and Roman subjects, and his scenes of religious and political life in the Far East. | |
| Current Accession Number | 1844 | |
| Inscription | front ll 'J. L. GEROME.' | |
| Subject | history (Napoleonic); figure | |
| Measurements | 85.2 x 124.3 cm cm (estimate) | |
| Material | oil on canvas | |
| Acquisition Details | Given by Lord Faringdon 1931. | |
| Provenance | W. Leeds sale, Christie's, 1887, lot 116, bought by Sir Alexander Henderson. | |
| Notes | Gérôme exhibited this picture in 1867 despite advice not to do so by some who feared that it might still arouse controversy. He was an artist to whom historical accuracy was of the greatest importance and he considered it his duty to depict the truth. | |
| Rights Owner | Sheffield Galleries & Museums Trust | |
| Author | Katia Mai | |