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Origin and history

The Château de la Pommerie, located in Astrieux in the Dordogne department, belongs since the 19th century to the family of Witt, descendant of Jérôme Bonaparte, younger brother of Napoleon I. This family bond explains the presence of a museum dedicated to Napoleon I and the Second Empire, installed in the castle. The collections exhibited come largely from the Brussels residence of Prince Victor Napoleon, the presumptive heir to the imperial throne after the death of the Imperial Prince in 1879. These objects, often linked to the propaganda or private life of the Bonaparte, were collected by Victor Napoleon and his relatives, despite the laws of exile which forced him to live in Belgium after 1886.

The castle and its collections have been protected as historical monuments since 2002. The exhibits include portraits of the Bonaparte family, Napoleon I's personal objects, as well as elements of the "imperial cult" created by anonymous supporters or artisans. The museum also preserves memories related to the royal family of Belgium, such as a powdered pear belonging to the Archduke Rodolphe of Austria, offered by her widow, Princess Stephanie. These collections reflect both the political heritage of the Bonaparte and their lasting influence on French collective memory.

The history of the museum is closely linked to the Bonapartist dynasty disputes. After the fall of the Second Empire in 1870, the heritage of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie was placed under receivership, giving rise to disputes with the French State until 1924. Prince Victor Napoleon, exiled to Belgium, married Princess Clementine of Belgium there in 1910, despite the opposition of his father, King Leopold II. Their daughter, Marie-Clotilde, Countess of Witt, moved to the Pommerie from 1949 to his death in 1996, thus perpetuating the link between the castle and Bonapartist history.

The objects exhibited come in part from public sales organized after the fall of the Empire, such as those of the Drouot Hotel in 1881 or the London auction of Christies in 1921-1922. Some were acquired by intermediaries such as Elijah Fabius, an art merchant specializing in imperial memories. The museum thus illustrates the dispersion and reconstitution of Bonapartiste collections, between family heritage, spoliations and buybacks. Notable pieces include tapestries belonging to Empress Eugénie, portraits of Napoleon III, or symbolic objects such as Napoleon III's saddle.

The Château de la Pommerie also embodies the memory of the Bonaparte through anecdotes, such as that of the powdered pear sent by Princess Stephanie of Belgium to her sister Clementine after the suicide of Archduke Rodolphe. This type of object, charged with intimate history, is close to elements of imperial propaganda, testifying to the complexity of Napoleonic worship, both political instrument and popular phenomenon. The museum, thanks to its location in Dordogne and its anchor in the family history of Witt, offers a unique insight into the Bonaparte posterity in France.

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