FRANZ XAVER WINTERHALTER, 19th century copy. (Menzenschwand 1805-1873 Frankfurt a. M.) Portrait of Napoleon III in uniform. Oil on canvas. Inscribed lower right: F Winterhalter. 190.8 × 117.5 cm. Provenance: European private collection. The portrait of Napoleon III in uniform by Franz Xaver Winterhalter from 1853 was an official portrait of the French Emperor Napoleon III, who ruled the Second Empire from 1852 to 1870. Winterhalter's large-format original painting, which measured 240 × 155 cm, was presented to the public during the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris and subsequently hung in the Palais des Tuileries, the emperor's residence. This original portrait fell victim to the flames when the Tuileries burned down during the Paris Commune in 1871. However, numerous copies of the portrait were made and distributed throughout the Empire for representational purposes to decorate the interiors of official buildings. The painting offered here not only bears witness to the historical significance of the portrait, it also illustrates the great esteem and popularity that Winterhaltes painting of Napoleon III enjoyed. This object marked with * (asterisk) is fully subject to VAT, i.e. VAT will be charged on the hammer price plus buyer's premium. Buyers who present a legally stamped export declaration will be reimbursed the VAT.