Workshop of Bertel Thorvaldsen, Copenhagen, 1770-Copenhagen 1844, The Apotheosis of Napoleon I, about 1830, marble, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Ben Weider Collection.

Le Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal a inauguré jeudi ses nouvelles salles permanentes consacrées à Napoléon ainsi qu'aux arts sous le Premier Empire.

Les oeuvres viennent d'un don majeur de la collection appartenant à Ben Weider, décédé quelques jours avant l'ouverture de la galerie dédiée à l'empereur français.

Selon M. Weider, Napoléon était un géant de l'histoire et l'une des figures les plus marquantes du XIXe siècle, car il avait contribué à définir l'âge moderne.

Nathalie Bondil, directrice du Musée des beaux-arts, rappelle que le don de M. Weider leur a permis de rassembler un ensemble de prêts à long terme, et même de susciter d'autres dons, permettant au Musée d'avoir une galerie Empire.

Photo: Reuters

MONTREAL.- The president of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Brian M. Levitt, the director, Nathalie Bondil, and all the Museum staff wish to offer their condolences to the Weider family on the sudden demise of Mr. Ben Weider last Friday. “We were very sad to learn of Mr. Weider’s death, at the very time that we were working with him on opening the galleries devoted to Napoleon, which we owe to the major gift of his Napoleonic collection. He was so happy about the opening, and had arranged it down to the last detail. It was very important to him”, said Museum director Nathalie Bondil, who was deeply grieved by the news. “But his wishes will be fulfilled: his sincere, enthusiastic commitment to defending the memory of Napoleon will be preserved at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Ben Weider insisted that his collection, the art and personal effects linked to the Emperor, should remain in Montreal.”

The pieces he collected will enrich both the Museum’s holdings and the country’s heritage. Most notable is the famous cocked hat Napoleon wore during the Russian campaign in 1812, but other treasures include sculptures, paintings and art objects. It is noteworthy too that Mr. Weider’s gift has spurred other collectors to offer their works to the Museums as gifts or loans. “Among these patrons are the Honourable Serge Joyal, C.P., O.C., Power Corporation of Canada, Roger Prigent of New York, and Élaine Bédard and Alexandre de Bothuri Bathory, who add their condolences to ours”, says. Nathalie Bondil, “These outstanding gifts, like Mr. Weider’s public-spirited desire to enhance the image of Napoleon, have enabled us, at last, to open an Empire gallery. It is not only Montreal’s heritage but that of Canada that will be enriched by this magnificent period in the arts, which has hitherto been poorly represented here for obvious historical reasons.” These galleries will house one of North America’s largest collections of objects connected with the Emperor.

At the request of the Weider family, the new galleries devoted to Napoleon and the arts under the First Empire will be opened to the public, as was originally planned, on Friday, October 24, at 11 a.m. Ben Weider wanted his collection to be accessible to the widest possible public, and that is why he made this remarkable gift to the Museum. Admission to this collection and to the new galleries will be free of charge to all visitors at all times.

During the opening day of the exhibition the Museum will pay tribute to Mr. Weider. A Visitors’ Book will be found at the entrance to the galleries in the Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion, 1380 Sherbrooke Street West, for everyone who wishes to express their gratitude to this great man. The book will then be presented to the Weider Family.

Poupard et Delaunay, Hatters to the Palais Royal, active in Paris, early 19th c. Napoleon´s Hat From the Russian Campaign, around 1812, felt, silk, fabric, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Ben Weider Collection