George IV and Napoleon

This superb engraving is the most expensive print that George IV ever bought, costing him £63. It shows Napoleon Bonaparte and was published to mark Napoleon's coronation as emperor in 1804. He is shown standing on a dais in his coronation robes. The title proclaims him as Napoleon Le Grand or Napoleon the Great. This print and its sitter held a particular fascination for George, George purchased this print in February 1811, the month in which he was finally appointed Prince Regent, with authority to rule on behalf of his unwell father. It is easy to imagine George, in buying this print, looking ahead to his own coronation as king. When he was crowned a decade later, George's lavish ceremony sought to rival the magnificent coronation of Napoleon, to which this print bears witness.