La campagne de Russie

     Napoleon's campaign into Russia is known as one of the worst military campaigns of all time, and for good reason.  Napoleon attempted to invade Russia during winter, a particularly hostile environment during that season, and paid the price dearly. Although Napoleon and his armies fought valiantly agaisnt the Russians and even made it all the way to Moscow, the winter was too much for the French amry and they were forced to retreat after buring most of Moscow to the ground. The image to the left is a truly graphic recollection of the epic retreat from Moscow, from the eyes of a Russian painter, Viktor Mazurovsky. The scene shows Napoleon and his army marching out of the burning city of Moscow. The sky is dark with the smoke of the proud captial as a rigid and stern looking Napoleon Bonaparte gallops almost proudly out of the city. The French here are looking almost Nazi like, having no regard or remorse for what they had just done. Viktor's protrayal of Napoleon and the French is truly incredible. Viktor foreshadows the proud looking army that will soon be reduced to a shell of its former self. Viktor painted this emotional historical recap between 1859 and 1923, the burning hatred that the Russians felt towards Napoleon can only be matched by the fire scorching Moscow.  

     The painting here depicts the long and tiring retreat from Moscow.  The men marching are clearly cold and dishevelled while a faint fire is durning in the distance, showing how Napoleon made his men burn every city they went through to the ground.  The assorted equipment on the ground show the death the cold brought as well as the abandonment some troops resorted to.  Another noteable part about the painting is the lack of Napoplen.  This coud to show that he wasnt a leader and would let his men die while he was ona horse adn usually warm in a tent at night.  Being made by an Englishman in 1873 shows again how much the enemies of Napoleon, specifically the British, hated Napoleon even long after he was gone.