Paris Art Studies – September-October 2011

The History of Paris with Chris Boïcos - Architecture, Urbanism, Society - Part 8:

Paris under the Second Empire II (1860-1870), the Commune and the beginning of the Third Republic (1871-1880)

 

 

16 Sep.  - Gallery - The End of the Second Empire, 1860-1870.

23 Sep.   - Visit    - The Garnier Opera. Meet on front steps of the Garnier Opera. Métro Opéra (lines 3,7,8)

30 Sep.  - Gallery - The Commune and the beginning of the Third Republic 1871-1880.

  7 Oct.    -Visit    -  Musée d’Orsay. Impressionist painting.

            Meet in front of group entrance B. Métro Solférino (line 12) or RER C Musée d’Orsay.

                         Please bring for your 9,50 € ticket .

14 Oct.   - Visit    - Haussmann’s Paris: From Sainte Trinité to St Augustin.

                               Meet in small park in front of church of Ste Trinité. Metro Ste Trinité (line12)

21 Oct.   - Visit    - Musée Jacquemart André – house and permanent collections.

                                    Meet museum entrance 158, boulevard Haussmann 75008. Métro Miromesnil (lines 9,13)

 

Bibliography:

Ridley Jasper , Napoleon III and Eugénie. 

Jones Colin, Paris – Biography of a City.

 

 

The Second Empire 1852-1870:

 

1852 - Proclamation of Empire, the President of the 2^nd Republic, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, becomes Napoleon III.

1853 – Napoleon III marries Eugénie de Montijo. Georges Haussmann named Prefect of the Seine, directs reconstruction of Paris.

1854 – France and Great Britain declare war on Russia, beginning of the Crimean war.

1855 – Siege of Sebastopol and French victory in Malakoff. First Paris World’s Fair. Courbet organises his own private exhibition, shows "The Painter's Studio".

1856 – Birth of Eugène-Louis, the Prince Imperial.

1858 – An Italian anarchist, Felice Orsini throws bomb at imperial carriage as it approaches the Opera on rue Le Peletier, killing many bystanders but narrowly missing the Imperial couple. Secret meeting with prime minister of Savoy, Cavour, in Plombières. Napoleon III accepts to support King Victor Emmanuel in his bid to unite Italy in return for the provinces of Nice and Savoy for France.

1859 – Italian campaign brought to successful end by treaty of Zurich in December. Railway ventures in France centralized in 6 major companies.

1860 – Signature of treaty with Britain instigating free trade between the two countries. Liberalisation of French economy. After plebiscite Nice and Savoy are attached to France. Annexation of Paris suburbs, creation of present 20 arrondissements with new frontier on Thiers’ wall.

1861 – Charles Garnier’s project wins competition for the building of the new Opera.

1862 – Napoleon III takes advantage of American Civil War to send troops to Mexico where Archduke Maximilian, brother of the Austrian Emperor  Franz Joseph, is proclaimed Emperor of Mexico with the support of France.

1863 - "Salon des Refusés".  Manet shows "Déjeuner sur l'herbe". Death of Delacroix. Legislative elections, progress of opposition.

1864 – Workers’ right to strike is legalized.

1865 - Manet's "Olympia" violently attacked at salon.

1867 - Second Paris World’s Fair. French troops withdrawn from Mexico, Maximilian is captured and executed by Mexican rebels. Manet paints "Execution of Maximilian". Holds one-man show.  French military expedition to Rome to protect Papacy from Garibaldi’s rebels. Death of Ingres.

1868 – Suppression of press censorship. Public meetings to discuss industrial, agricultural and literary matters authorized.

1869 – Legislative elections, further progress of opposition. Suez canal a project directed by French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps is inaugurated by Empress Eugénie.

1870 – Significant parliamentary reforms. 19 July: France declares war on Prussia. 2 September: Napoleon III capitulates and is made prisoner at Sedan. 4 September: National Assembly in Paris deposes Emperor and declares a Republic.