The painting Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David marked a new era with new authority and peace. Before the conquest of Napoleon, France was in series of terrors and uncertainties followed by the French Revolution. The painting described a story of Napoleon leading his troops across Alps in a military campaign against the Austrians, historically known as the Battle of Marengo. On the bottom left corner of the painting, Napoleon's name alongside with Hannibal and Charlemagne, leading figures of the crossing of the Alps, can be seen craved on the stones. Funny thing, Napoleon did not actually lead the troops during this particular campaign. He departed days after the army had marched and later joined his troops.

Commissioned by Charles IV, the King of Spain, the painting took David only four months to complete. In the making of the painting, Napoleon refused to pose for the painting, therefore David asked one of his sons to dress up in the uniform and stand on top of a ladder which explains the youthful physique of the figure. However, Napoleon was not entirely divorced from the process, he commented one time to David, "calm on a fiery horse," which David nicely obeyed. Napoleon was clearly flattered by the painting and ordered three more versions, which now live in Madrid, two in Paris, and one in Milan. The spread of the paintings also reflected Napoleon's triumph on the European conquest. The painting is commonly criticized of being stiff and propaganda rather than art.

After the Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, David, as a member of those who voted for the death of Louis XVI, was sadly exiled. He moved to Brussels and continued his career as an artist.