lithograph by Victor Adam from the series 'Le retour des cendres' (1840/1841).
Tot Zover
Imperial Mourning Horse
The print shows a white fighting horse belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 - 5 May 1821). It is at the head of Napoleon's funeral procession. Sixteen other horses and the funeral carriage with Napoleon's body follow for the honorable state funeral in December 1840.
Napoleon owned about 80 horses for personal use. They were intensively prepared for battles, around fifteen horses died in battles.
He preferred small Arabs over the more popular English thoroughbreds. Most were white or light gray. His officers were said to be ashamed to ride one of Napoleon's horses. They were too small, too gentle, and not castrated. In addition, the tails were not docked (surgically removed) against the usual military use.
Which horse is depicted here?
There are many legends about his horse Marengo, captured during the Egyptian campaign, but it remains unclear whether Marengo really existed. Legend has it that Marengo died in 1832. In addition, Napoleon had several favourites, it is not possible to speak of just one fighting horse. More important is the symbolic function of the animal depicted here.
The myth of Napoleon's fighting horse was reinforced by the funerary entry into Paris (1840). The sixteen-horse funeral coach was preceded by the white horse portrayed in the print, with mourning voile and Napoleon's empty saddle. This gave unprecedented status to Napoleon's fighting horse.