Tanais Gallery
Vasily Vereshchagin.
Napoleon and Marshal Loriston ("Peace at all costs!").
1899-1900.
Oil on canvas. 131 x 146.
The State Historical Museum, Moscow, Russia.
Napoleon in Russia
When Napoleon's army stayed in Moscow the Russian army concentrated in the camp near Tarutino village in the Kaluga gubernia (province). Kutuzov decided to stay there and wait as he said "till the French army will be spoiled by itself". And it was the hard time for the French army indeed. There was the lack of food in Moscow, the main part of provisions was carried from Smolensk by military transports. But on the way of these transports many Russian partisan detachments acted and very often captured the French transports.
It was just impossible to stay in Moscow any longer, Napoleon saw this clearly and knew something must be done. But what had he to do? His plans that Emperor Alexander would ask for peace failed. And time was passing and every day the situation became worse.
At last Napoleon decided to ask for peace by himself. At first he wanted Caulaincourt the former French envoy in St.Petesburg to go on this mission, but he refused knowing he would not be received in the Russian camp at all. Then Napoleon ordered General Lauriston to go to the Russian General Headquarters in Tarutino village with his letter. On this picture you see Napoleon talking with Lauriston before this trip. In this talk Napoleon said "I need peace! Give me it at all costs!"
Kutuzov received Lauriston in Tarutino, but denied to make peace with Napoleon. So Lauriston had to come back to the Emperor without any results.
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