THE CONSOLATION OF AN EMPRESS: The Château de Malmaison gardens & collection with Sylvia Sagona

Always the master of self promotion, Napoleon bought Malmaison to showcase collections of the luxury trades, such as porcelain, gilt and cabinet making, which he had revived after the Revolution.

After her divorce, Josephine devoted herself to her roses and botany collection, featuring Australian plants grown for the first time in Europe.

SYLVIA SAGONA is an internationally recognised specialist on 19th century French society. She retired from the French Department at the University of Melbourne to work on historical documentaries for French and Australian television and is currently researching a book on Parisian women in the 19th century.