Napoleon in Plymouth Sound, August 1815

Painted in 1890 and acquired in 1906, artist Jules Girardet’s painting of Napoleon Bonaparte aboard HMS Bellerophon dramatises an extraordinary moment in Plymouth's history, when one of the world's infamous leaders was held captive in Plymouth Sound between July and August 1815. As Napoleon waited for his ultimate fate to be decided following the Battle of Waterloo he paraded on deck each day, while thousands of people dressed in their finest clothes took to the water to catch a glimpse of him. Come and see this hugely popular work of art from our permanent collection.