This massive book has a wonderful iconography of paintings, photographs, drawings and etchings narrating the fall of the French Second Empire, the Franco-Prussian War and the Civil War between the Red Republican of the Commune and the government of Adolphe Thiers which concludes a separate peace with Germany which is not recognized by the people of Paris and their National Guard. The rest is tragedy with the destruction of the Tuileries Palace, the palace of St Cloud and the Hotel de Ville, mass firing squads and mass judgements, deportation and imprisonement of the leaders of the Commune.

The role of militaristic propaganda and the influence of artists on both side of the political spectrum shows how important for Europe was this period.
To this day, conflicts between clericals and the supporters of Labour remain unresolved. The failure of an all-militaristic policy to control society is a lesson to be meditated for the future.

Specifically, the roles of Count de Nieuwekerke as patron/censor of the Arts and Meissonier, a pro-militarist artist and Gustave Courbet, a universalist revolutionary condemned to pay the cost of toppling the Column Place Vendome are truly fascinating. From Daumier to Carpeaux, pro-Napoleonic and Anti reflect the conflicts agitating French society in the 1869s. ( )

This is a heavy coffee-table size glossy-paper book about art during the Franco-Prussian War and Paris Commune (1870-71). It is also a serious and learned retelling of the events. Milner is an art historian and each picture - painting, drawing, lithograph, etching, photo - is put in context. The result is a deep immersion in the period in a way a written history text can not achieve. A sense for the feel and flavor and character of the time comes alive in vivid color and drama. Photography had not yet reached the point of being practical to publish in newspapers so artists were still the primary means. France had many skilled and famous artists to record what happened, the images are lasting and remained influential for generations. Milner is an excellent guide and shows not only the context and meaning of the pictures, but their aesthetic value - one learns how to read and appreciate art. Yet more than an art book, it also can be read as a history of the War and Communue with added pictures to help clarify events.

When it came out in 2000 it cost $65 and is still in print at that price. This is rather steep for a 220 page book. Luckily the used market h

--Review by Stephen Balbach, via CoolReading (c) 2008 cc-by-ndas copies available below $20 making it a bargain. ( )