'Aérostier'. Satirical illustration by Jules Renard 'Draner' showing two men in the basket of a hot air balloon, one of whom cocks a snook in defiance at a Prussian soldier, attempting to shoot them down. Hand-coloured lithograph, France, 1870-1871.

Satirical print showing two men in the basket of a hot air balloon, one of whom cocks a snook in defiance at a Prussian soldier, attempting to shoot them down. Suspended from the basket of the balloon is a cage containing pigeons. Print from a set of caricatures, broadsheets and illustrations in ten volumes. Each volume is half-bound in red leather, gold tooled and stamped with imperial emblems, title etc.

Plate 12 from a series of 32 entitled SOUVENIRS DU SIÉGE (sic) DE PARIS: Les Défenseurs de la capitale'.

The first balloon left Paris on 23 September and three days later a regular balloon post had been established. A total of about 65 manned balloons left Paris during the siege, of which only five fell into enemy hands. The Prussians tried to shoot them down as they passed overhead; Krupp even designed a special cannon for the purpose, but they were surprisingly unsuccessful. Observation posts were set up round Paris to watch and report on the path of the flights so that the balloons could be picked up on landing. After several had been lost to the enemy by this method the Parisians tantalized them by taking off at night. As it was impossible to set the balloons on a predetermined course, no one managed to make the return journey. News was brought into the city by pigeons carrying microfilmed messages. These means of communication were not quick or reliable enough to play an important strategic role in the war, but they greatly raised the morale of the besieged citizens.

E.668-1962