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Napoleon Crossing the Alps is a series of five oil on canvas equestrian portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte by French artist Jacques-Louis David. The painting depicts Napoleon astride a horse and riding across a mountain range. The equestrian portraits were created during the early years of the French Empire, and were commissioned by the British government. Today, the paintings are prized for their detail and historical significance.

One of the most famous works of art is Napoleon Crossing the Alps, but other versions are also acceptable. In the earliest versions, Napoleon is clad in a black coat with a gold trim and rides on a mule. The mule is undernourished, and the guide, Pierre Nicholas Dorsaz, leans heavily on a wood shaft to keep his steed upright.

The original version of Napoleon Crossing the Alps was intended to hang in the royal palace of Charles IV in Madrid. It was hung in the royal gallery in order to demonstrate the friendly relations between Spain and France. But the French monarch was so impressed with the work, he wanted more. And his emperor ordered three more exact copies. The aristocratic couple had been patrons of Delaroche’s work for over a century, and commissioned the famous painting to mark their friendship.