c. 1805, First Empire (Napoleon Bonaparte) 1805-1815 Period, Impressive Hand-Painted Miniature Portrait of Colonel Uny (1765-1842), Chef Aide-de-Camp to General Bisson, French, Oval Framed, Choice Extremely Fine.
This impressive highly colorful and sharply detailed Miniature Portrait is of Colonel Uny shown in his French military uniform. Uny was born in Cuiseaux (Saone et Loire), France, on June 21, 1765. This vivid Oval Miniature Portrait measures 1 1/2” tall x 1 1/8” wide (by sight), housed in its original black painted oval wood frame with brass inner liner, measuring fully to 3” x 2.625”. At the time this portrait was made, Uny held the rank of Chef de Bataillon and served as Aide-de-camp to General of Division Bisson, then the Governor of Mantua. Mantua is where General Bisson served as Governor during the Napoleonic era at the time, it was part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, and the city was a strategically important fortress town controlling routes between Austria and northern Italy.

Colonel Uny was born in Cuiseaux, in the SaPROBLEM: ône-et-Loire department of France, on June 21, 1765. Appointed General Bisson's Chef Aide-de-Camp Battalion (major) on March 24, 1805. Later in life Uny died in Cuiseaux, on October 8, 1842 and is buried in the cemetery there. Much more extensive details are known and available regarding the colorful Governor and General Bisson whom Uny served under, as follows:

General Baptiste-Pierre-FranPROBLEM: çois Jean-Gaspard Bisson was a particularly famous Napoleonic general. One of the largest men of his time, he was said to be the tallest recruit when he joined the French Army at age 14. By the end of his career, he was an obese gourmand, famous as a lover of good food and wine. He is said to have ordered his men to salute his favorite vineyard, the Clos Vougeot, whenever they passed by. In 1794 Bisson distinguished himself at Catelet, received a promotion to Chef de Bataillon, and joined the Army of the Sambre and Meuse when the army was reorganized. Only a few months later in September of 1794 Bisson was promoted to Chef de Brigade. While serving in France's Army of Italy, he fought with distinction at the Battle of Marengo. He was promoted to General de Brigade of the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Division of the Army of Italy. It is also known that Napoleon granted Bisson extra rations to satisfy his immense appetite.

Provenance: From the Collection of the late Charles Richard Smith, United States Marine Corps historian, who was known to have been interested in the parallel development of American and French Napoleonic Marine tactics and doctrine; to our current consignor.


In 1805, Bisson was promoted to General de Division and he took command of the 1st Infantry Division at the camp of Bruges. He was wounded during the crossing of the Traun and at the conclusion of the campaign, he was promoted as “Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor” and a “Knight of the Iron Crown of Italy”.

In February of 1807 he replaced the wounded General Gardanne in Command of the 2nd Division and fought at the Battle of Friedland that June. He was named a “Count of the Empire” in 1808, Bisson then went on to Spain. The French food critic Brillat-Savarin wrote that Bisson could drink eight bottles of wine with his dinner and still make jokes and give orders as if he only had a single drink.

After serving as Governor of Navarre, he was sent back to Italy where he took command of a French column in the Tyrol. Forced to surrender by the Austrians in April 1809, Bisson was out of service until December of 1809 when he received command of the 1st Division of XI Corps in Illyria. By this time Bisson had grown quite obese despite his height and he was not fit enough for an active campaign. In 1810 he took a command at Verona where he remained until his death in 1811.

A website located that sells French military artifacts recently sold a miniature of his aide de camp, Colonel Uny, painted when he was promoted to Battalion Commander. Aides-de-Camp during the Napoleonic were often from wealthier, more elite families, so it may not be surprising that Uny would occasionally sit for portraits, showing off his latest medals.


Portrait, Miniature, Aide-de-Camp, General Bisson, Napoleon Bonaparte