Albrecht Adam

Eugène Rose de Beauharnais was a decorated military commander, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy from 1805 to 1814 and through the second marriage of his mother, he was the stepson of Napoléon Bonaparte. Albrecht Adam met Beauharnais during a short visit to Vienna in 1809 and he was asked to join the Prince's household as his court painter in Milan. He accompanied him on military campaigns across Europe and this inspired subjects such as the present work.

Adam began as an apprentice confectioner and, having trained under Christoph Zwinger (1744–1813) in Nuremberg, moved to Munich in 1807 to continue his studies. He learnt from the war artist Johann Lorenz Rugendas II and military combat (from first-hand experience) soon dominated his output. He became a significant military and equine painter.