
Katon to the victory memorial frieze, c. 1873
Oil on canvas
3.93 x 23.45 m
Berlin Museum
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire (and later, the Third French Republic) and the German states of the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia.
France was to suffer the greatest humiliation since the defeat of the Emperor Napoleon the Great at Waterloo on June 18, 1815. This time, the hero’s nephew from Jena and Wagram was defeated! It wasn’t enough to bear the surname “Bonaparte” to defeat the Prussians!
Here, the son of Frederick William III, took revenge for the defeat of Prussia in 1807. He was then 10 years old. He did not forget the humiliation and affronts his parent suffered. In a dozen or so days the Prussian ring tightened around Paris. More on this painting
Anton Alexander von Werner (9 May 1843–4 January 1915) was a German painter known for his history paintings of notable political and military events in the Kingdom of Prussia. One of the most famous painters of his time, he is regarded a main protagonist of the Wilhelmine Period…