Notice des principaux tableaux recueillis dans la Lombardie par les Commissaires di Gouvernement Français, dont l'exposition provisoire aura lieu dans le Grand Salon du Muséum, les Octidi, Nonidi et Décade, à compter du 18 Pluviôse, jusqu'au 30 Prairial, an VI

Abstract

First and only edition of this rare exhibition catalogue of the pictures plundered by the French army under Napoleon in Lombardy, Italy, and transported back to Paris by ox cart and ship, and exhibited at the Louvre Palace which since 1793 was named Musée Central des Arts (in 1803 it was re-named Musée Napoleon). The exhibition was open to artists during the week and to the general public at weekends. There was free entry. The introduction gives valuable information about the administrative task of selecting pictures from collections in Parma, Milan, Cremona, Modena, Cento and Bologna. While the exhibition catalogue list 142 pictures taken, giving name of artist, title of pictures, description of what is depicted, measurements, historical note, provenance and much more. It starts with 9 pictures by Francesco Albani, Bellini, the Caracci (28), Corregio (4), Domenichino (9), Dosso Dossi (3), etc., to Guercino (19), Guido Reni (9), Giulio Romano (4), Lanfranco, Leonardo da Vinci (4), etc., Pietro da Cortona, Raphael (4), Salvator Rosa (2), to Spada (4), and Tintoretto and Titian, and strangely the four seasons by Breughel.