Symbols of Power: Napoleon and the Art of the Empire Style, 1800–1815” brings to Boston the grandeur of Napoleon’s empire and the splendor of his reign. The first comprehensive survey of the decorative arts of late eighteenth and early nineteenth century France, many of the nearly 200 works on display are masterpieces that have never before been seen outside of France.

This exhibition represents a rare opportunity to see many spectacular objects made for Napoleon and Josephine, which reflect the new French style that evolved from the austerity of the Revolution to the splendor of imperial France.

“Symbols of Power” examines the artistic use of classical emblems of power, including the use of Roman mythological figures, the laurel wreath, butterflies, swans, bees, and other symbols from antiquity and France’s distant past.

As an emperor, Napoleon allied himself with the great civilizations of the past, especially those of classical Rome and Greece and ancient Egypt, as a means of legitimizing his reign and creating an illusion of permanence, grandeur, and monumentality.

Objects made for Napoleon and his first wife, Josephine, crowned emperor and empress in 1804, are a focal point of the exhibition. Their legendary love affair is brought to life by Empress Josephine’s letter box, a wood, ebony, and gilded-bronze container that once held many of the letters Napoleon sent from the battlefield.

“Symbols of Power” also looks at how Napoleon’s military campaigns influenced decorative arts of the day. French victories inspired furnishings decorated with military trophies, arms, and armor. Many pieces incorporate images of Roman gods and goddesses of war, a nod both to France’s military prowess and the great civilization that served as the model for the new empire.