Claude-Victor Perrin, Duke of Bellune, Marshal of France

This portrait of Marshal Claude-Victor Perrin at the Museum of the History of France depicts one of Napoleon’s marshals who fought at Marengo, Friedland, and the Russian campaign. Gros’s portraits of Napoleon’s marshals form a comprehensive visual record of the military leadership that conquered and lost an empire. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays monumental scale, vivid reportorial color, Romantic energy in figure groups, combining David's Neoclassical training with the excitement of actual military events.

The marshal’s portrait combines ceremonial grandeur with Gros’s characteristic vitality. Rich uniform details and military decorations are rendered with precision while the sitter’s features convey the determination of a seasoned commander.