Italian School, circa 1800

A devotee of French culture, a general in Napoleon's army and one of the richest men in Italy, Camillo Borghese (1775-1832) became closely associated with the Empire. His integration into the inner circle was cemented in 1803 with his marriage to Napoleon's fascinating, inconstant and recently-widowed sister, Pauline Bonaparte. Their relationship was tempestuous, with Camillo once placing Pauline under house-arrest to curtail her infidelities; and it was while married to him that she scandalised Roman society by posing nude for Canova's iconic sculpture. However, the benefits that Camillo gained from his marriage included his elevation to the Dukedom of Guastalla in 1806 and being granted the position of Governor of Piedmont in 1807. In return he continued to demonstrate his commitment to French culture and in 1806 sold his family's famous collection of antiquities to enrich the holdings of the Louvre.