Empoleon Crossing the Alps: A Creative Masterpiece in the Pokemon Community

The Emperor Pokemon and its Unique Representation

A creative Pokemon artist has painted the Water and Steel-type Empoleon as Jacques-Louis David’s famous portrait, Napoleon Crossing the Alps. Jacques-Louis David was a renowned French artist who painted five different versions of the Napoleon portraits, which depict the emperor crossing the Great St Bernard Pass, one of the oldest mountain passes connecting Switzerland and Italy. With Empoleon being considered the Emperor Pokemon, it is only natural that the famous painting has been recreated with the penguin-like critter at the front and center.

Empoleon was first introduced in Generation 4 as the final evolution of the water starter, Piplup, in the Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum games. Since its introduction, Empoleon has captivated players because it is still, to this day, the only one out of over 1000 Pokemon with the unique water and steel typing. Additionally, out of every starter in the games, Empoleon is the only Pokemon that is partially a Steel-type. With all these distinctive features, the Emperor Pokemon has been the choice of many trainers to adventure with across the Sinnoh region.

A user going by the handle V-A-N-D-O has posted a painting on the Pokemon subreddit of a recreation of Jacques-Louis David’s famous portrait, Napoleon Crossing the Alps, only this time featuring Empoleon as the main subject. Titled “Empoleon Crossing the Alps,” the artwork was created by the Reddit user’s daughter and seems to be modeled on the Belvedere version of the portraits. In the painting, Empoleon can be seen riding a whitish-grey horse while directing the creature forward with its blue-lined flipper and golden claws. Adorning the Emperor Pokemon is a red cloak, which is a new feature of Empoleon that the artist took from the Napoleon portraits.

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The post on Reddit

Community Response and Artistic Feedback

V-A-N-D-O’s post on the Pokemon subreddit was well-received, with many users commenting on how talented the original poster’s daughter is. Some users offered suggestions on what changes they would make to one specific part of the painting, namely, the horse. Users felt that either a Galarian Rapidash, Spectrier, or even a Mudsdale would be a better substitution to keep more in theme with Pokemon. Despite this, however, the forum unanimously agreed that the painting was amazing.

The Pokemon Franchise and its Impactful Community

The Pokemon franchise is one of the largest in the world and has drawn fans in with its fun games that promise countless hours of adventures and a hit television show to go along with them. It is no wonder such a beloved series has talented fans who have been continuously creating some fantastic pieces, such as this real-life Masterball. With Pokemon Horizons coming soon, a whole new generation is about to be inspired by these lovable critters.