Thiers
1871
Looming like a stern ghost in the smoke, Adolphe Thiers, the first President of the French Third Republic, dominates this 1871 illustration by Edmond Morin. Below his floating head, the scene turns grim: a massive vulture perches on a jagged rock, seemingly dripping blood, while a ragged, emaciated family huddles together in despair. This is a biting piece of political commentary on the Franco-Prussian War and the bloody suppression of the Paris Commune, suggesting that Thiers' leadership presided over a nation being picked clean. The intricate cross-hatching gives the smoke and the vulture's feathers a terrifying texture, making the suffering below feel all too real.
- Technique
- Engraving