PARIS // Visitors to museums are used to admiring the results of the taxidermist's work. What they don't expect to see is a taxidermist actually AT work.
But anyone visiting the Army Museum in Paris are being treated to the rare sight of two taxidermists restoring a stuffed horse. And not just any horse but Le Vizir the last horse ridden by the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte.
The old warhorse is rather the worse for wear more than 200 years after carrying the emperor to victory against the Prussians and the Russians — not to mention undergoing the stuffing process not just once, but twice.
"It's a specimen that has suffered," was the expert, if understated, assessment of taxidermist Yveline Huguet as she worked putty into a crack in Le Vizir's chest.
The white Arabian stallion, a gift to Napoleon from an Ottoman sultan in 1802, sports a brand on his rump made up of an N topped with a crown.
One of the emperor's favourites steeds, Le Vizir shared his great victories at Jena and Eylau and accompanied his master into his exile on Elba after Napoleon's first forced abdication in 1814. By the time Napoleon escaped back to France the following year and swept back to power again — albeit for only 100 days — Le Vizir was old enough to retire. So, while the horse also returned to France he was spared the ignominy that awaited Napoleon at Waterloo.
Instead he spent his twilight years in the care of Leon de Chanlaire, an officer of the imperial stables, while Napoleon was banished to the British crown colony of Saint Helena in the southern Atlantic.
After Le Vizir died in 1826 at the ripe old age of 33 Chanlaire had him stuffed. But fearing that reprisals against those suspected of having ties to Napoleon would extend to the emperor's horse, Chanlaire sold Le Vizir on to William Clark, an Englishman living in northern France.
"Chanlaire had a few relationship problems with the regime of Charles X, because he was very supportive of the empire," said Gregory Spourdos, 36, deputy curator of the Army Museum's modern section. But Clark also feared being associated with the old empire and arranged for Le Vizir to be smuggled to England in 1839. Another Englishman, John Greaves, had the stuffing removed from Le Vizir so that the precious pelt could be packed into a trunk and escape the notice of customs officials.
"By the way, it was on the advice of the English consul," said Mr Spourdos.
Once safely across the Channel, Le Vizir could be restuffed, and he went on display at the Manchester Natural History Society in 1843. The horse was finally repatriated in 1868 because the Manchester society was in financial trouble and had to give him up. By then, Napoleon III — the first Napoleon's nephew -was on the French throne "so of course, everything linked to Napoleon I was welcome," said Mr Spourdos.
But Napoleon III ruled for only two more years until France' was defeated by the Prussians.
With the empire consigned to history, Le Vizir was consigned to a storeroom of the Louvre Museum for more than 30 years and became "a bit forgotten". He finally took up residence at the Army Museum — just a short trot away from his master's imposing tomb at Les Invalides — in 1905.
Today, however, with his mane neatly kept out of the way with hairdressers' clips and his modesty covered by duct tape, Le Vizir stands stoically on a raised platform as the two taxidermists go about restoring him to his former glory.
The project, lasting around four weeks, involves repairing tears and cracks, notably a gaping fissure running down one shoulder.
The taxidermists will also rehydrate the mounted beast and give it a good dusting.
"Whether it's Napoleon's horse or another, the work is the same. It's the historical aspect that's unique," said taxidermist Mr Huguet said. "It's nice to be part of a project like this."
The Army Museum made a crowdfunding appeal to finance Le Vizir's restoration. It pulled in 20,535 euros ($23,130), easily surpassing the target its target of 15,000 euros. The extra money will go towards purchasing a climate-controlled glass display case.
"Both Napoleon and Le Vizir went to England — one to Saint Helena and the other to Manchester, and then ... the master and his horse meet again here, not far from each other," said Mr Spourdos. "He's Napoleon's oldest companion with 200 years of shared history."
* Agence France Presse
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