French Empire Collection

French uniforms during the Napoleonic Wars
French army uniforms: infantry 1814-1825, grenadier 1812-1815, and cavalry 1805-1812. Antique hand-colored print

French soldiers uniforms, 1790s
French hussar, cavalry, and infantry uniforms, 1795-1796. Antique hand-colored print

Europe in 1810
Map of Europe in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars (in German). Printed color lithograph reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

French military uniforms, 1795
French general (left) and infantry officers, 1795. Antique hand-colored print

Bir Rashid in Barh el Gazel, Chad, French legionnaire colonial soldiers on patrol. postcard 1910
5305128 Bir Rashid in Barh el Gazel, Chad, French legionnaire colonial soldiers on patrol. postcard 1910 by Unknown photographer, (20th century); (add.info.: Bir Rashid in Barh el Gazel, Chad)

French colonists waiting for a train at the railway station in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1908
5305168 French colonists waiting for a train at the railway station in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1908; (add.info)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers resting in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910
5305157 French legionnaire colonial soldiers resting in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers resting in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers resting in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910
5305150 French legionnaire colonial soldiers resting in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers resting in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers on patrol near the Atlas Mountains, Morocco. postcard 1909
5305108 French legionnaire colonial soldiers on patrol near the Atlas Mountains, Morocco. postcard 1909; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers on patrol near the Atlas Mountains, Morocco)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Casablanca, Morocco. postcard 1905
5305093 French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Casablanca, Morocco. postcard 1905; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Casablanca, Morocco)

French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria
5305075 French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria); Universal History Archive/UIG

Illustration representing an African Lion Hunt. French 1805 (engraving)
5669614 Illustration representing an African Lion Hunt. French 1805 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG

Illustration showing Eugene de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (1781-1824)
5669583 Illustration showing Eugene de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (1781-1824), son of Alexandre de Beauharnais and Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie, first wife of Napoleon I

Elderly Vietnamese woman. 1895 (photo)
5669253 Elderly Vietnamese woman. 1895 (photo); Universal History Archive/UIG

French colonial worker carrying meat to market on a wheelbarrow, Vietnam. 1895 (photo)
5669211 French colonial worker carrying meat to market on a wheelbarrow, Vietnam. 1895 (photo); Universal History Archive/UIG

French and German Soldiers meet at the border in German East Africa, 1895
3480322 French and German Soldiers meet at the border in German East Africa, 1895; (add.info.: French and German Soldiers meet at the border in German East Africa (Tanzania) 1895

A soldier of the French Foreign, 1890
3480320 A soldier of the French Foreign, 1890; (add.info.: Illustration of a soldier of the French Foreign. Circa 1890.); Universal History Archive/UIG

A soldier of the French Foreign, 1890
3480318 A soldier of the French Foreign, 1890; (add.info.: Illustration of a soldier of the French Foreign. Circa 1890.); Universal History Archive/UIG

A soldier of the French Foreign, 1890
3480316 A soldier of the French Foreign, 1890; (add.info.: Illustration of a soldier of the French Foreign. Circa 1890.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Algeria during French colonial rule
3480305 Algeria during French colonial rule; (add.info.: Algeria during French colonial rule. Changing of the guard ceremony by the French Foreign Legion.); Universal History Archive/UIG

French and German Soldiers meet at the border in German East Africa, 1895
3480232 French and German Soldiers meet at the border in German East Africa, 1895; (add.info.: French and German Soldiers meet at the border in German East Africa (Tanzania) 1895

French Foreign Legion soldier in Algeria, 1895
3480230 French Foreign Legion soldier in Algeria, 1895; (add.info.: Illustration depicting French Foreign Legion soldier in Algeria, 1895.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Death of Lieutenant Grivart, 1899
3480884 Death of Lieutenant Grivart, 1899; (add.info.: Death of Lieutenant Grivart. Killed by inhabitants of a village on the banks of the River Niger. Mort du Lieutenant Grivart)

French colonial postcard showing occupying army staging a celebratory parade. Algeria 1906
5305591 French colonial postcard showing occupying army staging a celebratory parade. Algeria 1906; (add.info.: French colonial postcard showing occupying army staging a celebratory parade)

French legionnaire officers mess in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1909
5305177 French legionnaire officers mess in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1909; (add.info.: French legionnaire officers mess in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers relaxing off duty, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1909
5305173 French legionnaire colonial soldiers relaxing off duty, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1909; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers relaxing off duty, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910
5305144 French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Casablanca, Morocco. postcard 1905
5305096 French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Casablanca, Morocco. postcard 1905; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Casablanca, Morocco)

French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria
5305065 French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria); Universal History Archive/UIG

Two Senegalese women with one plaiting the hair of the other, 1900 (photo)
5672138 Two Senegalese women with one plaiting the hair of the other, 1900 (photo); Universal History Archive/UIG

Illustrations showing clothes worn by different castes in Imperial India (British Raj). 1880 (drawing)
5669220 Illustrations showing clothes worn by different castes in Imperial India (British Raj). 1880 (drawing); Universal History Archive/UIG

Painting depicting the fall of Emperor Napoleon III
3523963 Painting depicting the fall of Emperor Napoleon III; (add.info.: Painting depicting the fall of Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873)

French wounded evacuated by sea after France annexed Madagascar, 1896
3480821 French wounded evacuated by sea after France annexed Madagascar, 1896; (add.info.: French wounded evacuated by sea after France annexed Madagascar)

The Son Tay Campaign, 1883
3480777 The Son Tay Campaign, 1883; (add.info.: The Son Tay Campaign (11 December 1883 to 17 December 1883) was a campaign fought by the French to capture the strategically important city of Son Tay

French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria
5305070 French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldier depicted on a postcard 1895 Algeria); Universal History Archive/UIG

1835 The battle of Mascara, Algeria. The rebel stronghold was destroyed by the French
5304784 1835 The battle of Mascara, Algeria. The rebel stronghold was destroyed by the French. In 1830, Algeria was invaded by France. French colonial domination over Algeria

Fatal airship accident at the Franco-British Exhibition, 1908 (b/w photo)
2920851 Fatal airship accident at the Franco-British Exhibition, 1908 (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

French illustration circa 1870 of The Zouaves
5306369 French illustration circa 1870 of The Zouaves; Universal History Archive/UIG

Illustration depicting Damascus in Syria ca. 1837 by Werner
5306133 Illustration depicting Damascus in Syria ca. 1837 by Werner; Universal History Archive/UIG

French legionnaire colonial soldiers relaxing off duty, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1909
5305172 French legionnaire colonial soldiers relaxing off duty, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1909; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers relaxing off duty, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910
5305169 French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910
5305155 French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1910; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial band on parade in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Morocco. postcard 1909
5305105 French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Morocco. postcard 1909; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers at a base in Morocco. postcard 1909); Universal History Archive/UIG

French legionnaire colonial soldiers building accommodation at a base in Casablanca, Morocco. postcard 1908
5305088 French legionnaire colonial soldiers building accommodation at a base in Casablanca, Morocco. postcard 1908; (add.info)

French colonial workers resting near a temple, Vietnam, 1895 (b/w photo)
5669762 French colonial workers resting near a temple, Vietnam, 1895 (b/w photo); Universal History Archive/UIG

French colonial postcard showing occupying army staging a celebratory parade. Algeria 1906
5305593 French colonial postcard showing occupying army staging a celebratory parade. Algeria 1906; (add.info.: French colonial postcard showing occupying army staging a celebratory parade)

French Foreign legion war wounded soldier after a battle in Morocco 1910
5305185 French Foreign legion war wounded soldier after a battle in Morocco 1910; (add.info.: French Foreign legion war wounded soldier after a battle in Morocco 1910); Universal History Archive/UIG

French legionnaire colonial soldiers on flag duty in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1908
5305165 French legionnaire colonial soldiers on flag duty in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. postcard 1908; (add.info.: French legionnaire colonial soldiers on flag duty in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria)

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The French Empire, known for its grandeur and influence, left an indelible mark on history. During the Napoleonic Wars, French uniforms stood as a symbol of power and determination. In Europe in 1810, the empire's reach extended far and wide, leaving no doubt about its dominance. The impeccable attire of French soldiers in the 1790s showcased their discipline and elegance. Moving beyond Europe, the political map of Africa in 1914 and 1920 revealed France's colonial ambitions on the continent. John Bartholomew & Son captured this significant era with precision. At the Franco-British Exhibition in 1908, Waring's furnishings adorned the Royal Pavilion, showcasing opulence fit for royalty. A touch of Irish charm was added to this exhibition when red-cloaked Irish girls presented bouquets to visitors—a beautiful fusion of cultures at play. The City of White Palaces illuminated during this event highlighted France's architectural prowess. Outside the Palace of French Arts at the exhibition opening in 1908, royal and presidential carriages stood as a testament to France's regal heritage. Gobelins tapestry and lacework from early 19th-century France and Germany showcased their mastery in craftsmanship. An illustration depicting the International Exposition of 1867 portrayed Paris as a global hub where nations converged to celebrate art and industry—an embodiment of France's cultural significance on an international stage. From military might to artistic finesse, from European conquests to global exhibitions—each hint unravels a chapter from the captivating story that is the French Empire.