One summer, when artist Elizabeth Peyton was very young, she read a biography of Napoleon and became instantly entranced by a man who changed the course of world history, the man known in his youth as "Prince Eagle". Stunned by his beauty and star presence, Peyton's ardent admiration of Napoleon was realized, years later, when she met Tony, a man bearing a striking resemblance to the Emperor. Taken with Tony, who became her muse for "PRINCE EAGLE', Peyton composed this book of paintings and photographs that reenact highlights from the life of her early childhood hero.Best known for her paintings of bad-boy pop icons including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Sid Vicious, and Kurt Cobain, Peyton's work continues in the vein of modern portraitists Andy Warhol and David Hockney, and recalls the influence of John Singer Sargent and Anthony van Dyck. Called "Young and new and going somewhere" by The New York Times, Peyton's work has been acclaimed by Artforum, Parkett, Flash Art, the Village Voice, and other publications.
