Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of wartime violence.

After Thiers’s government regained control of Paris following the armistice with Germany, they passed draconian laws that worsened the struggling populace’s financial situation, such as ending payments to the National Guard and ending a rent moratorium.

On March 8th, the National Assembly voted to “annul” the election to the Assembly of Garibaldi, a popular Italian republican who had fought for France against Germany. On March 17th, Thiers had the revolutionary socialist leader Louis Blanqui arrested. Then, led by Generals Vinoy and Lecomte, the army made a disastrous attempt to retake the cannons the National Guardsmen had taken to Montmartre. Lecompte and another general, Clément-Thomas, were captured and publicly executed. 

Following this victory, the Central Committee of the National Guard took central Paris and occupied the Hôtel de Ville on March 18th. They declared a new government that came to be known as “the Commune.” The Thiers government moved from Bordeaux to Versailles, a town about six miles to the west of Paris, and began attempts to retake the city.

Édouard Manet and other republicans had little respect for Thiers. However, Manet worried that the actions of the Communards would imperil the republican project because they would be seen as “bloodthirsty.