Kehinde Wiley - Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps Shield patch

This 3.25 x 4 in. shield shaped patch features Kehinde Wiley’s 2005 painting Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps, reimagined from Jacques Louis-David’s equestrian portrait, Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Wiley’s composition is nearly identical to its 1801 counterpart, replacing the original background of Great St. Bernard Pass with an ornate monogram one, which protrudes around the equestrian into the foreground. Enrobed in camouflage and Timberland boots, the model is surrounded by sperm cells floating throughout the canvas, homoerotically satirizing the perpetuated masculine might that lives within the traditional practice of equestrian portraiture.

Dye-sublimation with gold merrowed borders and iron on backing.