Bonaparte stands on the sea-shore, about to embark (on 23 aug. 1799) in a boat (left) which will take him to a ship in full sail (the 'muiron'). He looks with a sly leer to the right, where a little band of ragged and emaciated french soldiers hurry towards him making gestures of dismay. He wears the embroidered fastened coat or tunic with a sash of authentic portraits, without a hat; he points up towards a vision in the sky surrounded by massive clouds of a sceptre and imperial crown superimposed on the revolutionary fasces and axe. Above the general flies a figure of fame, smiling sardonically and pointing down derisively. Two soldiers in cocked hats who stand in the boat waiting for bonaparte to embark greedily hug large money-bags. A plank slants from the boat to the shore. The boat has a figure-head composed of two heads facing opposite ways wearing a single coronet. Behind the french troops is a small encampment with tricolour tents and flags. Behind this stretches a vast turkish camp with crescent flags. Beneath the title: 'for an illustration of the above, see, the intercepted letters from the republican general kleber, to the french directory, respecting the courage, honor & patriotic views, of - "the deserter of the army of egypt". ' 8 march 1800
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1800. Dimensions: Height: 362 mm; ; Width: 260 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Napoléon I, Emperor of the French. Collection: British Museum. Buonaparte leaving Egypt. (BM 1851,0901.1020)
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