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Two Centuries after Death…Napoleon's Life Remains Interesting Material for Thousands of Books

A visitor looks at "Napoleon I on his deathbed, one before to be buried" painting of Jean Baptiste Mauzaisse during a press visit of the exhibition "Napoleon in St Helena" in Paris, France, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. (AP/Francois Mori)
A visitor looks at "Napoleon I on his deathbed, one before to be buried" painting of Jean Baptiste Mauzaisse during a press visit of the exhibition "Napoleon in St Helena" in Paris, France, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. (AP/Francois Mori)
    London, Paris- Asharq Al-Awsat
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Two Centuries after Death…Napoleon's Life Remains Interesting Material for Thousands of Books

A visitor looks at "Napoleon I on his deathbed, one before to be buried" painting of Jean Baptiste Mauzaisse during a press visit of the exhibition "Napoleon in St Helena" in Paris, France, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. (AP/Francois Mori)
A visitor looks at "Napoleon I on his deathbed, one before to be buried" painting of Jean Baptiste Mauzaisse during a press visit of the exhibition "Napoleon in St Helena" in Paris, France, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. (AP/Francois Mori)

Although two centuries passed after his death, Napoleon Bonaparte still has a decent position, and his personal, political, and military life still represent a rich material for novels, movies, and biographies.

In an interview with AFP, Natalie Petiteau, a history professor at the University of Avignon, said Napoleon's personality "will always be inspiring because he had an exceptional individual fate that expresses all aspects of revolution."

The professor noted that the biographers who wrote about "the great romantic hero who died 200 years ago," drew a portrait of Napoleon that changes according to the dominant political currents.

In 2014, Historian Jean Tulard estimated that about 80,000 works had been written about Napoleon. This unverified number indicates that an average of over one book was issued every day about Bonaparte since his birth in Ajaccio, Corsica.

Tulard himself wrote many books about Napoleon. The most recent, "Marengo or the Strange Victory of Bonaparte," was published in March 2020. It revolves around a decisive battle that took place in 1800. It paved the way for two other books that were issued at the same time: "Napoleon and God" by Philippe Bornet, and "The Grand Atlas and Napoleon," published by Glénat and Atlas publishing houses respectively.

Search in the lists of the French national library showed that 18,000 books have the name "Napoleon" in their titles, including works related to his nephew, Napoleon III.

The emperor's modest roots, courage, geniality, kindness to people, and his protection of France's glory facing the obsolete monarchies, all are myths that Bonaparte intelligently maintained throughout his political and military life, and still exist until today.

However, Éric Anceau, who recently released a biography entitled "Napoleon (1769-1821)," believes that writing about Bonaparte is renewable, noting that "there are always new things to discover."

He said "this bicentenary is an opportunity to focus on the many times the emperor escaped death, his exile on the St. Helena Island, his death, and his memory."

Anceau, a professor at the Sorbonne University, recommended two new books about the emperor: "Napoleon in St. Helena" (the island located in South Atlantic Ocean, where he died on May 5, 1821) by Pierre Branda (released in January); and "Napoleon: The Last Witness Narrates" by David Chanteranne (released in March).

Petiteau explained that "Napoleon's sophisticated personality leads people to draw a contrasting picture of him. For this reason, there will always be some who hate him

and others who glorify him. Objective historians have always found it challenging to explain their point of view defying popular historians."

For instance, "Bonaparte (1976) and Napoleon (1968)," a two-volume book by famous writer André Castelot, is a best seller. The Napoleon Foundation recommends parents encourage their children to read it if they want to know the history of the emperor.

Young readers may prefer to read "I am Napoleon," a novel by Vincent Mottez and Bruno Wennagel. The accuracy of this work, in which the emperor himself speaks, was sealed with an introduction written by Thierry Lentz, director of the foundation, which also issued the 1000-page Historical Dictionary of the Napoleonic Era, in September.

Casterman recently republished all the volumes of a comic collection depicting Napoleon by Davoz, Jacques Martin and Jean Torton.

For those who see Napoleon as a tyrant, Swiss Historian Henri Guillemin's books have been revived on YouTube in recent years. They have always been considered a great reference, but their re-editing stopped years ago.

In April, the H&O Editions republished a sarcastic biography about the emperor entitled "Adventures of Napoleon" by the late sarcastic writer Francois Cavanna. It was first published in 1988.

For those who want to stay away from the controversy of Napoleon, and the pain of politics and war, they can take a look at the letters exchanged between Bonaparte and Joséphine de Beauharnais, to read "some of the most beautiful pages of love literary," according to its publisher, Le Passeur House.

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Culture

State-of-the-Art Home for an Ancient Pharaoh

Tanya Zolner and experts at the Grand Egyptian Museum’s restoration center. (Atelier Brueckner)
Tanya Zolner and experts at the Grand Egyptian Museum’s restoration center. (Atelier Brueckner)
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State-of-the-Art Home for an Ancient Pharaoh

Tanya Zolner and experts at the Grand Egyptian Museum’s restoration center. (Atelier Brueckner)
Tanya Zolner and experts at the Grand Egyptian Museum’s restoration center. (Atelier Brueckner)

The world's eyes are turning once again towards the Giza Desert, where the pyramids and the Sphinx have long borne witness to the passage of the centuries and the massive efforts of our ancient forbears.

Now, another massive effort is underway, this time to complete the Grand Egyptian Museum, which will showcase the treasures of that ancient civilization. The museum is the largest ever devoted to archaeology. The antiquities it will house are priceless.

Despite an earlier opportunity for the public to visit its halls, a crucial part of the complex remained hidden from view: the Tutankhamun Gallery, which will contain previously unseen pieces from the young pharaoh's treasures, making it the crown jewel among the museum's departments.

A German studio called Atelier Brueckner designed key spaces in the museum, such as the atrium – which houses a statue of Ramses II that's over 11 meters high – and the stunning Grand Staircase. The Children's Museum, with 3,465 square meters of exhibition space, was also part of their commission.

They had to give security issues careful consideration. Every showcase had to be bullet proof, involving 40 milometer thick glass. And they were not allowed to touch the objects, only look at them, while they developed their ideas.

An artifact on display at the Tutankhamun exhibition in London in 2019. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Asharq Al-Awsat was keen to speak to one of the people behind the Tutankhamun Gallery, which promises to be a wonder of the modern world. What could Tanya Zolner, associate partner of Atelier Brueckner and head of the design team, reveal about the gallery? And would it be possible to form a mental picture of the place before its unveiling?

The Visitor's Journey with the Golden Pharaoh

Zolner was clearly excited by the idea of discussing the project. She wanted to emphasize her team's approach: "Our work focused mostly on designing a storytelling experience related to the exhibits and a broader perspective on the story of ancient Egypt."

Obviously, she's immensely proud of the fact that the Atelier was chosen to design the new gallery, but it must have been a daunting responsibility, providing a new home for such beautiful and important pieces?

"I think the responsibility was twofold. On the one hand, we had to ensure the preservation, security, and safety of the exhibits so that people could enjoy them a hundred years from now. I also believe that our responsibility included providing an enjoyable experience for visitors," she said.

She added: "What I really liked was the museum director's conversation with us. He was keen to emphasize that the museum is for the Egyptian people and their 'guests', and that the display method must take this into account."

"He also wanted the artifacts to be shown in a new way. As you know, in international museums, such pieces are treated primarily as works of art [...] but without the necessary context. They may be separated [from each other], which removes them from their historical and thematic context. I think the choice fell on us because we care about telling the story behind the pieces," she explained.

Tanya Zolner during the preparations for the Tutankhamun Gallery. (Atelier Brueckner)

Visiting Routes

The story in question, that of a young pharaoh's life, is almost unimaginably different from our lives today. How did her team go about reimagining the story of the Golden Pharaoh? Was chronology important to the museum's narrative?

"A visitor to the Tutankhamun Gallery has more than one way to begin their journey with the Golden Pharaoh," Zolner said.

With the museum expected to be visited by thousands of people every day – experts estimate 15,000 – the challenge was to create an intelligent visitor guidance system that organized the spaces and gave even the smallest objects a strong presence. In two parallel wings – each 180 meters long and 16 meters high – some 5,600 artifacts from the pharaoh's tomb are displayed, including nearly 3,000 pieces that have never been seen before.

The tour through the exhibition will offer a dramatic spatial journey through the god-king's life, coronation, death, and aftermath, climaxing with a full-scale immersive experience of the tomb itself. Here, lighting, materials, graphics, and interactive media will combine to create a breathtaking experience.

Clearly, the display here is unconventional. Is it entirely dependent on digital technology?

"There are some digital tools, but not many. The pieces here are beautiful in themselves. We are dealing with a lasting display, and technology has its weaknesses. But what really matters is how the pieces are arranged in the available spaces, and how the right piece is chosen for the right place," Zolner said.

An artifact on display at the Tutankhamun exhibition in London in 2019. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

She offered the example of a section about the afterlife. The huge number of items found in the tomb included thirty shoes, and also provisions, such as bread, poultry and other meats, along with utensils and wine jars. The beauty of these items is that they bear drawings and inscriptions related to them, such as a box depicting the pharaoh on a hunting trip, with spears, arrows, and the chariots used in hunting. All of these items become elements of the narrative.

Zolner talked about the museum's staff and the discussions they had about display methods: "There are great experts in the museum who spoke with us about the various aspects of the exhibition, such as the need to include a narrative of the pharaoh's lifestyle and of his death."

They met every month to discuss the proposed locations.

"One of the things that made our work easier was knowing from the start that all the items associated with Tutankhamun would be in the exhibition, so we weren't faced with a difficult choice between the pieces."

Tutankhamun’s golden mask. (AFP)

The Golden Mask

The phrase "all the items" implies a truly mind-boggling amount of stuff. Tutankhamun was buried with no less than 5,600 pieces. Zolner said that the process of preparing the display even revealed pieces that hadn't been accounted for. The number also changed slightly over time because some hadn't been removed from their boxes since they were found. Even the restoration team was sometimes surprised by the presence of a box hidden within another box.

"I believe visitors will also be in for a few surprises, considering that the treasures on display before now amounted to a third of the total discovered. When we had the opportunity to see the documentation detailing the pieces in full, we felt honored and humbled to be allowed to participate in telling the stories associated with them," Zolner said.

I conclude by asking: "What are the moments that stick in your memory? What are your favorite pieces?"

She replied without hesitation: "The golden mask, without a doubt! When we first visited Cairo, everyone was aware of the importance and uniqueness of the mask. I've never had a project where the curator said, before we started, 'unless we say otherwise, it's gold.' In other projects you might have a few golden things; here they're either gold or gold-plated."

Culture

Matcha Madness Leaves Japan’s Tea Ceremony Pros Skeptical 

Tea ceremony master Keiko Kaneko demonstrates the tea ceremony at her tea house in Tokyo, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP) 
Tea ceremony master Keiko Kaneko demonstrates the tea ceremony at her tea house in Tokyo, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP) 
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Matcha Madness Leaves Japan’s Tea Ceremony Pros Skeptical 

Tea ceremony master Keiko Kaneko demonstrates the tea ceremony at her tea house in Tokyo, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP) 
Tea ceremony master Keiko Kaneko demonstrates the tea ceremony at her tea house in Tokyo, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP) 

Clad in an elegant kimono of pale green, tea ceremony instructor Keiko Kaneko uses a tiny wooden spoon to place a speck of matcha into a porcelain bowl.

She froths up the special powdered Japanese green tea with a bamboo whisk after pouring hot water with a ladle from a pot simmering over hot coal.

Her solemn, dance-like movements celebrate a Zenlike transient moment, solitude broken up by the ritualistic sharing of a drink.

No wonder Kaneko and others serious about “sado,” or “the way of tea,” are a bit taken aback by how matcha is suddenly popping up in all sorts of things, from lattes and ice cream to cakes and chocolate.

No one knows for sure who started the global matcha boom, which has been going on for several years. But it's clear that harvests, especially of fine-grade matcha, can't keep up with demand.

A booming market

Matcha is a type of tea that's grown in shade, steamed and then ground into a very fine powder. It's processed differently from regular green tea, with the best matcha ground using stone mills, and switching from one to the other takes time. No farmer wants to switch and then find that matcha fever has died.

The Japanese agricultural ministry has been working to boost tea growth, offering help for farmers with new machines, special soil, financial aid and counseling to try to coax tea growers to switch to matcha from regular green “sencha” tea.

“We don’t want this to end up just a fad, but instead make matcha a standard as a flavor and Japanese global brand,” said Tomoyuki Kawai, who works at the tea section of the agricultural ministry.

Production of “tencha,” the kind of tea used for matcha, nearly tripled from 1,452 tons in 2008, to 4,176 tons in 2023, according to government data.

Japan's tea exports have more than doubled over the last decade, with the US now accounting for about a third. Much of that growth is of matcha, according to Japanese government data. The concern is that with labor shortages as aging farmers leave their fields, the matcha crunch may worsen in coming years.

Other countries, including China and some Southeast Asian countries, also are producing matcha, so Japan is racing to establish its branding as the origin of the tea.

An art form turned into a global fun drink

Tea ceremony practitioners aren’t angered by the craze, just perplexed. They hope it will lead to people taking an interest in sado, whose followers have been steadily declining. But they aren’t counting on it.

The tea ceremony is “reminding us to cherish every encounter as unique and unrepeatable,” said Kaneko, who is a licensed instructor.

She pointed to the special small entrance to her tea house. Noble samurai had to stoop to enter, leaving their swords behind them. The message: when partaking of tea, everyone is equal.

The purity and stillness of the ceremony are a world apart from the hectic and mundane, and from the craze for matcha that's brewing outside the tea house.

The Matcha Crème Frappuccino is standard fare at the Starbucks coffee outlets everywhere. While matcha, a special ingredient traditionally used in the tea ceremony, isn’t meant to be drunk in great quantities at once like regular tea or juices, it’s suddenly being consumed like other fruit and flavors.

Matcha drinks have become popular at cafes from Melbourne to Los Angeles. Various cookbooks offer matcha recipes, and foreign tourists to Japan are taking home tins and bags of matcha as souvenirs.

It's a modern take on traditions perfected by the 16th century Buddhist monk Sen no Rikyu in Kyoto, who helped shape the traditions of tea ceremony and of “wabi-sabi,” the rustic, imperfect but pure and nature-oriented aesthetic often seen as synonymous with high-class Japanese culture.

Matcha's future

Minoru Handa, the third-generation chief of suburban tea store Tokyo Handa-en, which sells green and brown tea as well as matcha, says the appeal of matcha is in its versatility. Unlike tea leaves, the powder can be easily mixed into just about anything.

“The health boom and the interest in Japanese culture have added to the momentum,” he said, stirring a machine that was roasting brown tea, sending a pungent aroma through the streets.

“It’s safe and healthy so there’s practically no reason it won’t sell,” said Handa.

His business, which dates back to 1815, has a longtime relationship with growers in Kagoshima, southwestern Japan, and has a steady supply of matcha. To guard against hoarders, he limits purchases at his store to one can per customer.

Handa, who has exhibited his prize-winning tea in the US and Europe, expects that growers will increase the supply and shrugs off the hullabaloo over the matcha shortage.

But Anna Poian, co-director and founder of the Global Japanese Tea Association, thinks lower-grade matcha should be used for things like lattes, since one has to put in quite a lot of fine-grade matcha to be able to taste it.

“It’s a bit of a shame. It’s a bit of a waste,” she said.

The best matcha should be reserved for the real thing, she said in an interview from Madrid.

“It is a very delicate, complex tea that is produced with the idea to be drunk only with water,” she said.

Culture

Riyadh to Host ‘Carmen’ Performed by China National Opera House

The opera will be presented by the China National Opera House, as part of ongoing efforts to enrich Riyadh's cultural landscape. Asharq Al-Awsat
The opera will be presented by the China National Opera House, as part of ongoing efforts to enrich Riyadh's cultural landscape. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Riyadh to Host ‘Carmen’ Performed by China National Opera House

The opera will be presented by the China National Opera House, as part of ongoing efforts to enrich Riyadh's cultural landscape. Asharq Al-Awsat
The opera will be presented by the China National Opera House, as part of ongoing efforts to enrich Riyadh's cultural landscape. Asharq Al-Awsat

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City announced that one of the world’s most renowned operas, “Carmen,” will be performed for the first time in Saudi Arabia at King Fahad Cultural Center from September 4 to 6.

The performance is part of the Saudi-China Cultural Year 2025, which commemorates 35 years of diplomatic relations between the countries.

The opera will be presented by the China National Opera House, as part of ongoing efforts to enrich Riyadh's cultural landscape and bring world-class artistic performances to the city, aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 in making the arts a central element of daily life in the capital.

Carmen is a masterpiece by French composer Georges Bizet, first performed in 1875. Since then, it has become one of the most iconic works in opera history. Set in Spain, the story follows the bold and independent character of Carmen.

The performance in Riyadh will feature the opera’s full cast of international singers and musicians, offering a complete operatic experience that mirrors the world’s premier stages, all within a refined artistic atmosphere befitting the capital’s discerning audience.