The Embarkation of the Duchess of Angoulême at Pauillac

Antoine-Jean Gros's The Embarkation of the Duchess of Angoulême at Pauillac of 1818 depicts Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte's departure from France in 1815 as Napoleon returned from Elba, the Bourbon princess evacuating the country her family had ruled for centuries at the moment when the Empire's brief restoration seemed to reverse the Restoration's brief normality. The event was an extraordinary moment in the drama of Restoration politics — within weeks Waterloo would reverse the situation again. Gros documented the scene with his characteristic combination of historical accuracy and ceremonial gravity.

Gros renders the dramatic departure scene with careful attention to the port setting and the assembled crowd. The emotional intensity of the farewell and the stormy atmosphere create a Romantic narrative of loyal exile.