Ornamental stones of the Napoleon Tombstone (Paris): art, geology, and geography

Abstract

Sarcophagus of Napoleon, a crypt and all inside volume of the Hôtel des Invalides are richly decorated by architect L. Visconti with natural ornamental stones from France, Italy and Russia. The authors name them, give their description, list quarries. The sarcophagus is cut of Proterozoic quartzite from Russia. Balustrade, gallery and sculptures in crypt are made of Carrara marble. White-black marble breccias «Marble Grand Antique» and green ophicalcite («Brèche Napoléon») are applied to construct other tombs and columns in the altar, and color limestone and marbles from different places of France (Pyrenees, Alps, Languedoc, and North France) are also used. Quartzite was quarried at the Onega Lake in Russia by J. F. Bujatti. In Paris, first time in the history of techniques, details of the sarcophagus of Napoleon were cut and polished with use of steam machinery. Refs 11. Figs 7.