Based on the famous painting by David (Jaques Louis, 1748-1825) this smaller version, set in an ornate frame, shows Napoleon at the moment of being crowned as emperor of France. The artist has given the scene a festive air. There's a sense of celebration with the resplendent robes of high ranking official and clergy blending with the brilliantly colored marble of the interior. Textural contrasts of cold stone and warm garments of velvet and fur lend a gentle air to a serious occasion that had lasting political repercussions for France and Europe as a whole.