Pride comes before a fall and in the case of Napoleon, Smolensk came before Moscow. On May 18 Ketterer Kunst is selling a 2ft x 2ft 7in (60 x 79cm) scene of Napoleon observing the burning city of Smolensk. Painted in 1836 by Albrecht Adam (1786-1862), it is estimated at €100,000-130,000.
The artist did not base his painting on hearsay or written accounts: he had accompanied the imperial army in 1812 and witnessed the aftermath of the fighting in Smolensk. In his autobiography Adam wrote: “On the evening of the battle we saw a frightful but beautiful spectacle from our campsite: the town [Smolensk] was ablaze and the searing evening sun mixed its rays with the fire’s glow … Never again in my entire life did I witness such enchanting light effects.”