The State Hermitage Museum: Exhibitions

5: The Battle of Borodino

Need help with HotMedia?

The most interesting views

		*The Battle of Borodino* Peter von Hess Larger view

		*The Crossing of the Berezina* Peter von Hess Larger view

previous room

Two large canvases painted for the Winter Palace by the noted battle-painter Peter von Hess present decisive events in the Patriotic War of 1812.
On 26 August that year, by the village of Borodino, the greatest battle between the French and Russian armies took place. The encounter began at dawn with artillery barrages from both sides. The heaviest fighting centred on Bagration's fleches and Rayevsky's battery. The French captured them at the cost of great losses, but Napoleon was unable to build on this and recalled his troops to their starting positions. In the middle of November 1812 the Russian forces encircled Napoleon's army on the River Berezina. Napoleon managed to break out through the Russian-held town of Borisov and get his forces across the Berezina, but the French suffered tremendous casualties. The Emperor left his army and hurried back to Paris.