The Battle of Heliopolis

The Battle of Heliopolis (French: Bataille D'Heliopolis) is an 1837 history painting by the French artist Léon Cogniet.^[1][2]

The Battle of Heliopolis
Artist	Léon Cogniet
Year	1837
Type	Oil on canvas, history painting
Dimensions	120 cm × 149 cm (47 in × 59 in)
Location	Palace of Versailles, Versailles

History and description

It depicts the Battle of Heliopolis fought on 20 March 1800 at Heliopolis on the outskirts of Cairo. The battle, which took place during the French invasion of Egypt, allowed the French to suppress an uprising against their control.^[3]

In the 1830s during the July Monarchy, the French monarch Louis Philippe I announced the restoration of the former Ancien Régime Palace of Versailles as a history museum. A large number of works were commissioned featuring moments from French history. With his depiction of Heliopolis, Cogniet was one of many leading French painters who produced works for Versailles. He was paid three thousand Francs for the works.^[4] Today the painting remains at Versailles.^[5]