Départ pour L'Isle d'Elbe Departure for Elba Paris, FRA fr 1814 1 print; 25.7 x 31.5 cm In this highly emblematic satire, Napoleon prepares to leave for Elba. As he walks along the shore, the symbols of his imperial power dissipate: the bees that decorated his cape lift from the fabric and fly away, his sword lies broken in two on the ground, the Imperial Eagle flies away with the crowns of France and Italy, the flame symbolizing his genius sputters on the top of his head, and the laurel branches that crowned him fly away. A sailboat waits for Napoleon halfway between Europe and the island of Elba. Napoleon, though, remains on the shore and rings a bell alerting others of his presence. A shield illustrating the fable of the frog and the bull indicates that Napoleon's pride was his fatal flaw. Like the frog Napoleon carelessly inflated himself in an attempt to emulate the size and power of his betters. For both, the exercise resulted in their collapse, or explosion. The trajectory of Napoleon's efforts at aggrandizement is indicated by the Egyptian pyramids (l.) and the Kremlin (r.), which mark opposite ends of the horizon. Both campaigns were disasters for Napoleon, the Russian campaign, from which he fled, ultimately led to the end of his career. (right) Napoléon 1er/ Empereur des Français/ Roi d'Italie/ Protecteur de la/ Confédération/ du Rhin/ Médiateur de la/ Confédération/ Suisse" (left) Prise d' Espagne La Chétive Pécore/ s'enfla si bien/ qu'elle creva Déposé à la Direction de l'Imprimerie et de la Librairie Napoleon I, Emperor of the French 1769-1821 Caricatures and cartoons Napoleonic Satires 2 http://dl.lib.brown.edu/napoleon FrBH 1814 mf-13 John Hay Library 1130424609103239 still imageNo Copyright - United StatesCollection is open for research.