This rare and superb first edition lithograph, created by Louis Auguste de Sainson, depicts Jamestown, Saint Helena.
De Sainson, the official artist aboard Jules Dumont d’Urville’s Astrolabe expedition, produced this work as part of the renowned voyage of scientific exploration and discovery. The print provides a striking visual record of Saint Helena, an island steeped in historical significance.
Saint Helena gained international prominence in 1815 when the British government selected it as the site of Napoleon Bonaparte’s exile following his defeat at Waterloo. Arriving on the island in October 1815, Napoleon initially stayed at the Briars Pavilion on the Balcombe estate before moving to Longwood House, which became his permanent residence in December of that year. Napoleon spent his final years at Longwood, where he died on May 5, 1821. To ensure his containment, Britain stationed a garrison of soldiers and occupied the nearby Ascension Island as an additional precaution.