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La Capitulation de Sedan

Print
1870-1871 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Édouard Blot Et Fils (printer)
Unknown (caricaturist)
Place of origin
Paris (printed)

Broadsheet with text and an illustration showing Napoleon III and the French generals signing the terms of capitulation after the battle of Sedan. The Emperor is seated at a table in the centre of the scene, turned and facing left, and is signing a piece of paper. A German general leans over him and observes. Behind the table is a French general, who looks on. Standing at a window to the left, and with his back to the viewer, is a short man; he looks out of the window at the destruction caused by the battle. 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.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Caricatures & Cartoons
Object type
Print
TitleLa Capitulation de Sedan (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Hand-coloured lithograph on paper
Paper
Lithography
Hand-Colouring
Brief description
'La Capitulation de Sedan'. Satirical broadsheet with an illustration showing Napoleon III signing the terms of capitulation after the battle of Sedan. Hand-coloured lithograph, France, 1870-1871.
Physical description
Broadsheet with text and an illustration showing Napoleon III and the French generals signing the terms of capitulation after the battle of Sedan. The Emperor is seated at a table in the centre of the scene, turned and facing left, and is signing a piece of paper. A German general leans over him and observes. Behind the table is a French general, who looks on. Standing at a window to the left, and with his back to the viewer, is a short man; he looks out of the window at the destruction caused by the battle. 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.
DimensionsThe prints in this series are described in the accession record as being of various sizes.
Marks and inscriptions
  • '10 c. En vente chez Gabillaud, 147, rue Montmatre, rue du Croissant, et chez tous les Libraires. On trouve chez le même Éditeur : La Mort Badinguet. 10 c. La Capitulation de Sedan Déposé 2610. - Paris. Édouard Blot et Fils ainé, imprimeurs, rue Bleue, 7,' (Lettered)
  • 'Air : Rien N'est Sacré Pour un Sapeur / 1 / Ah! qu'un monarque a donc à faure Pour contenter tous ses sujets ; Il a tant d'monde à satisfaire Qu' ça dérang' souvent ses projets Et qu' ça nuit à ses intérèts. Mais il faut conv'nir de bon compte Que Badinguet mnaqua d'honneur, Ah! Quand l'traitre signa notre honte, Rien n'est sacré pour un emp'reur. / 2 / Il avait dit d'une voix fière : Je r'viendrai mort ou victorieux! Mais le poltron, un' fois en guerre, S' dit en lui-mêm qu'il valait mieux Attendr' qu'il soit un peu plus vieux. Le bruit des ball's et d' la mitraille, A c' qu'assure maint chroniquer, Ah! Lui donnait des douleurs d'entrailles. Rien n'est sacré pour un emp'reur. / 3 / C'est en fumant sa cigarette Que d'un trait de plume, il livra Aux Prussiens, ivres de conquête, Soldats, canons, et coetera ; Mais un jour ou leur reprendra. Après avoir trahi la France, Dont il fut vingt ans l'oppresseur, Ah! Il veut s'venger d' sa déchéance. Rien n'est sacré pour un emp'reur. / 4 / C; polichinelle a l'espérance, Après ses lugubres exploits, De régner encor sur la France Comme aux temps heureux d'autrefois : Mais on se trompe quelquefois. Il croit, - vraiment c'est trop comique! - Nous escamoter, - le farceur! Ah! Un' second' fois not' République. Rien n'est sacré pour un emp'reur. / 5 / Il a rêve, la nuit dernière, Que dans sa bonn' vill' de Paris, Il pénétrait la tête fière, Escorté d' ses fidèl's amis, Son épouse et son mioch' compris. Mais à son réveil ô déveine! S'etant aperçu d' son erreur, Ah! Il a pleuré comme un' Mad'leine. Rien n'est sacré pour un emp'reur.' (Lettered with verse)
Subjects depicted
War
Generals
Battle
Uniform
Emperor
Napoleon III
Bibliographic reference
Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1962. London: HMSO, 1964.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.367-1962

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1029459/la-capitulation-de-sedan-print-unknown/
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