Artwork
Death of General Valhubert, December 2, 1805
Death of General Valhubert, December 2, 1805 is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Jean-François Pierre Peyron. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the Palace of Versailles.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the death of General Valhubert on December 2, 1805, a specific historical event occurring during the Battle of Austerlitz.
The painting depicts the death of General Valhubert on December 2, 1805, a specific historical event occurring during the Battle of Austerlitz. As a work of history painting, the scene focuses on the general's mortal trauma amidst the chaos of battle. The composition includes iconographic elements such as a horse and fire, which serve to dramatize the violence and immediacy of the moment.
By isolating the general's death within this fiery, traumatic setting, the artwork represents the sacrifice and physical cost of military conflict during the Napoleonic era.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1808, this history painting by Jean-François Pierre Peyron utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work presents a large-scale composition measuring 228 cm in height and 278 cm in width. Visually, the piece depicts a dramatic scene of major trauma involving a general, a horse, and fire, consistent with the narrative intensity required for historical subjects of the era.
The painting is currently held within the collections of the Museum of the History of France at the Palace of Versailles.
History & Provenance
The work was commissioned as a history painting to commemorate the death of General Valhubert on December 2, 1805. It was created in 1808 by Jean-François Pierre Peyron, who worked in oil on canvas, and was first exhibited at the Salon of 1808, drawing attention from Dominique-Vivant Denon.
After its creation, the painting entered the collection of the Museum of the History of France at the Palace of Versailles, where it remains on display. Its dimensions are 228.0 cm in height and 278.0 cm in width.
The provenance records indicate its inclusion in the museum's inventory under numbers MV 1711, INV 7181, and MR 2301, confirming continuous ownership by the French state since its acquisition.
The painting is held by the Museum of the History of France, located within the Palace of Versailles. It is cataloged under multiple inventory numbers: MV 1711, INV 7181, and MR 2301.
Historically, the work was exhibited at the Salon of 1808. In more recent times, it was included in the exhibition titled "Dominique-Vivant Denon: l'oeil de Napoléon."
Overview
Jean‑François Pierre Peyron’s oil painting Death of General Valhubert, December 2, 1805 was completed in 1808. Executed in the Neoclassical idiom, the work belongs to the history‑painting genre and is part of the Palace of Versailles collection.
Context
The painting aligns with early‑19th‑century French art that sought to glorify military heroism while adhering to Neoclassical principles of clarity and moral narrative. By focusing on a single, poignant episode, Peyron joins a tradition of history painters who used individual sacrifice to illustrate broader national themes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-François Pierre Peyron (15 December 1744 – 20 January 1814) was a French Neoclassical painter, printmaker, and art collector.
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