Russia’s triumph over the French army in the Patriotic War of 1812, which dealt an arresting blow to Napoleon and his pursuit of European conquest, ignited a collective Russian pride and production of decorative arts celebrating the occasion that persist today. The Style that Ruled the Empires: Russia, Napoleon, and 1812 brings together paintings, porcelain, glassware, metalware, attire, and Napoleonic armor and militaria to commemorate the bicentennial of this dramatic event. Exquisite Russian and French decorative art objects from Hillwood’s renowned collection, as well as items on loan, will also explore how the Empire style, fashionable across Europe in the 19th century, was adopted by Russian artisans, signaling the continued enchantment with French art and culture.

Russia’s triumph over the advancing march of Napoleon’s Grande Armée ignited a collective Russian pride and has been celebrated by writers and artists for two centuries. The visual narratives constructed by paintings, memorials and sculptures, helped build a national mythology celebrating victory of the common Russian over the foreign invader. Emperor Alexander I soon created a War Gallery in the Winter Palace to display portraits of the military leaders from the Patriotic War. Dr. Andrew Nedd, professor of art history at Savannah College of Art and Design, explores how art depicting the triumph of 1812 extolled Russia’s courage, resourcefulness and spirit of community in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

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The Empire Style, which appeared in Russia about 1800, was popular in many countries of Europe, and was portrayed through classical motifs. In Russia, it was characterized by its daring and innovative use of materials and high technical standards. Its elegant qualities were championed by various architects who viewed it as the style for Russia par excellence. Dr. Scott Ruby, curator of Russian and Eastern European art, explores architecture and the decorative arts to further contextualize and illuminate the treasures on view in Hillwood’s exhibition The Style that Ruled the Empires: Russia, Napoleon and 1812.

- $20, $10 Members, $7 Students
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5:30-6:45pm Mansion and The Style that Ruled the Empires open
6-6:45pm Members-only reception, with author Dominic Lieven
7-8:30pm Lecture, followed by book signing
Seating begins at 6:45pm

Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 is one of the most famous stories in European history. Nevertheless much of the story as usually told is untrue. Outside Russia 1812 is usually told just from Napoleon’s point of view and without regard for Russian sources. In Russia the story is distorted by nationalist myths. Leo Tolstoy (author of War and Peace) was a great novelist but also a key myth-maker as regards Russia’s defeat of Napoleon. In his interpretation, governments and generals count for little and Napoleon is defeated by the elemental patriotism of the Russian people. In reality, the tsarist government planned and executed an intelligent grand strategy which exploited Russia’s strengths and Napoleon’s weaknesses. Join visiting scholar Dominic Lieven, who used never-before-seen material from the Russian archives, to delve deeper into this riveting history. Lieven will sign copies of Russia Against Napoleon: The True Story of the Campaigns of War and Peace following the lecture.

Dominic Lieven is a research professor at Cambridge (Senior Research Fellow: Trinity College). He was a professor of history at the London School of Economics from 1978-2011. His last book, Russia Against Napoleon: The True Story of the Campaigns of War and Peace, won the Wolfson History Prize and also the Prix de la Fondation Napoleon. Three of his direct ancestors were generals in the Battle of Leipzig. He lives partly in Britain and partly in Japan.

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Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 is one of the most famous stories in European history. Nevertheless much of the story as usually told is untrue. Outside Russia 1812 is usually told just from Napoleon’s point of view and without regard for Russian sources. In Russia the story is distorted by nationalist myths. Leo Tolstoy (author of War and Peace) was a great novelist but also a key myth-maker as regards Russia’s defeat of Napoleon. In his interpretation, governments and generals count for little and Napoleon is defeated by the elemental patriotism of the Russian people. In reality, the tsarist government planned and executed an intelligent grand strategy which exploited Russia’s strengths and Napoleon’s weaknesses. It could do this partly because in the years before the invasion it possessed excellent sources of intelligence about Napoleon’s intentions and about the strengths and weaknesses of his military and political system. On that basis the Russians planned for a long war of attrition. By retreating deep into Russia they would wear down Napoleon’s initially enormous and invincible army and mobilize Russian society for a lengthy conflict. Though not even Barclay de Tolly (the commander-in-chief), let alone Alexander I, expected to retreat all the way to Moscow, their strategy worked. It would not have done so, however, without the fierce discipline of the Russian army, the skill of its rear guards, and the moral courage of Barclay, who refused to bow to enormous pressure to commit his army to battle prematurely.

In imagining that the fall of Moscow would force Alexander to negotiate, Napoleon betrayed his ignorance of Russian politics and society. After delaying too long in Moscow, his army was forced to undertake a long retreat as the Russian winter closed in. The indiscipline of the French army and the overwhelming superiority of the Russian light cavalry contributed in almost equal measure to his army’s destruction. It is, however, a great illusion to imagine that 1812 spelled the final defeat of Napoleon. He put 450,000 men in the field in Germany in 1813. The resources of Napoleon’s empire were equal to those of Russia, Austria and Prussia combined.

By ending War and Peace in Vilno in December 1812 Tolstoy once again distorts reality. Alexander was determined to carry the war beyond Russia’s borders and undermine Napoleon’s power because he rightly believed that this was the only way to guarantee Russia’s long-term security. He showed great political and diplomatic skill in creating and sustaining the Russo-Prusso-Austrian coalition which (together with British financial and military power) defeated Napoleon in 1813-14. Also contrary to Russian nationalist mythology, the Russian army performed better in 1813-14 than in 1812. Improved tactics, staff-work and use of reserves help to explain why Russian troops emerged victorious from most of the major battles of 1813-14. The Russian army also met the challenge of deploying, arming and supplying 500,000 men and scores of thousands of horses beyond their empire’s frontiers. In a Europe where only two cities had more than 500,000 inhabitants this was a great achievement.

- $20, $10 Member, $7 College Students
- Purchase Tickets for Lecture and Reserve Space at the Member Reception
- Limited seats at a simulcast may become available, if seating in the theater reaches capacity.
- Light reception is open to and free for all members.
- Pre-orders of signed copies of Russia Against Napoleon can be made when purchasing tickets by phone. The Museum Shop will also sell the book before and after the lecture.