Why did Napoleon Bonaparte stick his hand in his shirt?

Answer 1

It was the fashion of the day for 'gentlemen of breeding' which, of course, Napoleon craved to be. Follow the link It was documented that Napolean had Gout. Usually Gout effects the toes, ankle or knee. It can also effect the hand. When that happens, it is extremely uncomfortable to let your hand rest at your side. It relieves the pressure to hold your hand at your chest. Putting his hand in his coat was an easy way to keep the hand in one position.

Answer 2

It was a convention of English portraiture and Jacques Louis David, the artist who painted Napoleon, wished to respect the conventions of the land of the man who had commissioned the portrait. It was commissioned by the Duke of Hamilton, a Scott living in London.

Answer 3

There are many different reasons why Napoleon stuck his hand in his shirt. One reason was that he had a stomach ulser/ stomach issue/ ache that it was releived when he touched it. Another one is that he had hives or a rash that he needed to scratch. Finally another common reason is that his love of his life, Josophine, he touched her with that hand to he never washed it. He didnt want people to be discusted so he put his hand in his shirt. There you have it, the most common answers for your question.

Answer 4

The painter, Jacques-Louis David was commissioned by the soon to be Duke of Hamilton to paint the Portrait of Napoleon in his Study in 1811. In that he was commissioned by a (Scot) Englishman he paid homage to his client by depicting Napoleon in the traditional English fashion, by placing his hand in his vest. Where does this tradition come from? From a 1737 English publication called 'The Rudiments of Genteel Behavior' by Francis Nivelon. This illustrated guide on how to deport oneself in public came out at the end of the Baroque period, a time of large theatrical flourishes and gestures carried out by sitters in portraits of all European cultures. Nivelon states at the beginning of the section on how a gentleman should deport himself: 'The first (figure) of which may be properly called the Foundation of all Exercise, that is to Stand firm, yet easy and without Affectation.' '...the arms must fall easy, not close to the Sides, and the Bend of the Elbow, at its due Distance, will permit the right Hand to place itself in the Waistcoat easy and genteel, as in this Figure is represented; but any rising or falling the Hand from that Place, will make it appear lame, and consequently disagreeable;...' From that moment on it became codified postural behavior to be immortalised in countless portraits and in virtually all public displays of gentlemanly behavior in England. So, we see that David did not invent the pose, he merely saluted the English tradition in honor of his patron. David was very concerned his English peers would think well of him. -R. Collins

Answer 5

The "Hand in waistcoat" was a common practice for men to use this pose in portraits at the time, some people have been led to believe that it was because of pain in his stomach due to him dying of stomach cancer but the portraits of him in this pose were made more than 10 years before his death.

Answer 6

Supposedly, he had a condition called scabies, which is from small mites burrowing under the skin and leaving itchy, oozy patches of skin. Historians aren't sure of this, but we DO know that he often took long, hot baths, occasionally more than once a day. The hot water would have soothed his skin.

Answer 7

He liked to keep track of his wallet, you can't trust these artists. No, actually, the hand-in-waistcoat thing was a standard pose for portraits; it just happens to have been the one selected for the most famous portrait of Napoleon.

The above answer is wrong, the real answer to this question is that what you are seeing when you see the hand pushed inside a jacket (usually the right hand) is actually a Freemasonry sign called The sign of the "Master of The Second Veil" sometimes called the "Hidden Hand", it's Freemasonry secret hand signals and all who use it are Freemasons.

Answer 8

Because that is where he kept the apple of eden from assassins creed or because it is a secret symbol for the illuminati or free masons or templars

Answer 9

Many portraits of men painted in the late 18th and early 19th century showed them with one hand inside a jacket or pocket. It was the style chosen for posing for a portrait at that time.

Answer 10

It is usually assumed that Napoleon had stomach problems and that applying pressure with his hand helped minimize the pain.