Auguste-Marie-François, baron Colbert de Chabannais (1777-1809), general"

This 1809 portrait of Baron Colbert de Chabannais at the Museum of the History of France depicts a Napoleonic general killed at the Battle of Cacabellos in 1809 during the Peninsular War. Gérard’s military portraits of fallen officers served both commemorative and propagandistic purposes in the Napoleonic regime. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays polished Neoclassical finish inherited from David, with a more flattering and commercially appealing elegance that prioritized graceful presentation over moral severity.

The military portrait combines martial bearing with Gérard’s characteristic refinement. Uniform details and decorations are rendered with precision while the sitter’s features convey the determination of a career soldier.