Pure Gold - Sculpture Books

Napoleon is a figure who continues to captivate historians and enthusiasts alike—a complex, celebrated, and contested character who remains at the centre of historical inquiry.
This edition was conceived with the aim of narrating his story through his own words, offering a faithful transcription without interpretation or commentary, allowing his voice to speak directly to the reader.

The volume opens with a preface and two introductory texts, respectively written by Victor Hugo and Edvige Santiné. These are followed by a selection of Napoleon’s diary entries, divided into eighteen chapters and accompanied by historical and official documents retrieved from his private archives by Santiné herself: Capitolo scritto all’Isola d’Elba di tutto pugno di Napoleone, Particolarità storiche a datare dall’assedio di Toulon di tutto pugno di Bonaparte, Della religione, dei suoi ministri, del Papa, del concordato 1801, Guerra di Prussia 1807. Alessandro I, Pianta della Campagna di Prussia, Della guerra di Spagna e dei tre fratelli di Bonaparte, Di Giuseppina, di Maria Luisa, guerra di Russia, Waterloo, mia ritirata sul Bellerofonte, Elogio sulla tomba, recitato dal Gran Maresciallo Bertrand, Massime di Napoleone relativamente alla guerra, Battaglia d’Iena, Dispaccio del Primo Console Bonaparte al Generale Massena Comandante l’Armata francese in Italia intercettato dagli inglesi, Relazione della ritirata dei francesi da Mosca distesa da un militare russo, Lettere di Napoleone a Giuseppina, Testamento, Battaglia D’Occana, Battaglia di Esling.

This luxury editorial work, handcrafted in its entirety, is a tribute to historical memory, to the narrative power of original documents, and to the noble tradition of Italian bookbinding.

Comprising 253 pages, the volume is enriched with 82 original engravings. Each page is printed on 220 gsm handmade paper and hand-stitched using wooden frames, according to medieval bookbinding techniques.

The covers, bound in deep blue leather and lined with light blue moiré silk, are fully adorned with two copper and 24-karat gold sculptures. On the front cover stands a sculpted profile of Napoleon in his iconic general’s hat—its proportions carefully designed to echo the classical iconography of Ancient Rome, where a single central image in a vast space evoked the idea of the infinite.

The burin engravings that embellish the volume depict Napoleon during the most iconic moments of his military campaigns, including the Egyptian Campaign and the Russian Campaign. These are complemented by historical paintings that enhance the visual narrative of a pivotal figure in European history.

An editorial masterpiece that blends history, art, and Italian craftsmanship.

A luxury book created for collectors, admirers of the Napoleonic legacy, and connoisseurs of fine publishing.