As winter grew colder, Parisians started to starve. A city known for its food and restaurants had to scavenge meals based on horse, dog, cat and even rat.
de Neuville
How conflicting ambitions took Napoleon III to war against Prussia when France was so ill-prepared. Defeat was inevitable, and soon Paris was under siege.
Paris was under siege from September 1870 to the end of January 1871. Painters commanded its defenders, and showed its distress.
In the late 19th century, painting was centred on Paris. But in 1870-71, the city was all but destroyed after a long siege, in the Franco-Prussian War. The story told in paintings.
The Eclectic Light Company 