PWT 35 2015

rhinoceros weekly transmission

rwt-35

sa Majesté by Disdéri, 1856, N° 2

thursday 3 september 2015 : rue du 4 septembre

transmission 33 contents : En Partant pour la Syrie, the hymn which remplaced la Marseillaise selection of photographs

1-9

the Fall of France

4-6

paris, Rue du 4 Septembre 1870

8-9

le trimphe de l’ordre

10

The e-bulletin presents books, albums, photographs and ancient documents as they have been transmitted to us by their creators and by amateurs from past generations.

The physical descriptions, attributions, origins, place and date of printing of books and photographs have been carefully ascertained by collations and comparisons with other prints or comparable samples (from our picture library).

The books and photographs from all around the world are presented in chronological order. It is the privilege of ancient and authentic things to be presented in this fashion, mirroring the flow of ideas and creations.

All the items presented are available at the time of transmission.

The prices are denominated in euro. Paypal is accepted. Priority is given to the first outright purchase, confirmed by email to

studios@robespierre.fr

Rhinoceros & Cie Studios Robespierre 71 rue Robespierre 93100 Montreuil

Partant pour la Syrie

remplaced La Marseillaise

“Since the days of the 1851 Coup d'État, the Marseillaise had been banned in France, the official imperial air being "Partant pour la Syrie," a military march composed by the Emperor's mother, Queen Hortense, with words by Count Alexandre de Laborde...” (Ernest-Alfred Vizetelly, My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71)

Partant pour la Syrie / Le jeune et beau Dunois, Venait prier Marie / De bénir ses exploits : Faites, Reine immortelle / Lui dit-il en partant, Que j'aime la plus belle / Et sois le plus vaillant.

Il trace sur la pierre / Le serment de l'honneur, Et va suivre à la guerre / Le Comte son seigneur ; Au noble vœu fidèle / Il dit en combattant : Amour à la plus belle / Honneur au plus vaillant.

On lui doit la Victoire. / Vraiment, dit le seigneur ; Puisque tu fais ma gloire / Je ferai ton bonheur.

De ma fille Isabelle, / Sois l'Epoux à l'instant, Car elle est la plus belle, / Et toi le plus vaillant.

A l'Autel de Marie, / Ils contractent tous deux Cette union Chérie / Qui seule rend heureux.

Chacun dans la chapelle / Disait en les voyant : Amour à la plus belle, / Honneur au plus vaillant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7pX4imp7ZQ

RWTransmission 35

1

35th week 2015

henri vignes. Djerash (Temple du sud), Syrie (Empire Ottoman), 1864 Albumen print, 210x258 mm, on paper mount, nice tonality.

“Jerash is sometimes misleadingly referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East or Asia", referring to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation (though Jerash was never buried by a volcano). Jerash is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East. It was a city of the Decapolis. Jerash was the birthplace of the mathematician Nicomachus of Gerasa (c. 60 – c. 120 AD). A strong earthquake in 749 AD destroyed large parts of Jerash, while subsequent earthquakes along with the wars and the big turmoil of the Cruisades contributed to additional destruction... ” € 1.500

RWTransmission 35

2

35th week 2015

eugène disdéri. sa majesté, paris, 1856 Vintage albumen print on cdv mount, captioned : “Sa Majesté l’Empereur napoléon III. Modest but authentic print of the portrait which helped generating the rise of Photography in Imperial France. € 300

RWTransmission 35

3

35th week 2015

eugène disdéri. sa majesté and groupies, paris, 1856 Vintage albumen mosaic print on cdv mount. Early pleasant photomontage

€ 100

The Fall of France

4

On 2 September 1870

“There was no little agitation in France during the years 1868 and 1869. The outcome first of the Schleswig-Holstein war, and secondly of the war between Prussia and Austria in 1866, had alarmed many French politicians. Napoleon III had expected some territorial compensation in return for his neutrality at those periods, and it is certain that Bismarck, as chief Prussian minister, had allowed him to suppose that he would be able to indemnify himself for his non-intervention in the afore-mentioned contests. After attaining her ends, however, Prussia turned an unwilling ear to the French Emperor's suggestions, and from that moment a Franco-German war became inevitable. Although, as I well remember, there was a perfect "rage" for Bismarck "this" and Bismarck "that" in Paris--particularly for the Bismarck colour, a shade of Havana brown--the Prussian statesman, who had so successfully "jockeyed" the Man of Destiny, was undoubtedly a well hated and dreaded individual among the Parisians, at least among all those who thought of the future of Europe. Prussian policy, however, was not the only cause of anxiety in France, for at the same period the Republican opposition to the Imperial authority was steadily gaining strength in the great cities, and the political concessions by which Napoleon III sought to disarm it only emboldened it to make fresh demands.

In planning a war on Prussia, the Emperor was influenced both by national and by dynastic considerations. The rise of Prussia--which had become head of the North German Confederation--was without doubt a menace not only to French ascendency on the Continent, but also to France's general interests. On the other hand, the prestige of the Empire having been seriously impaired, in France itself, by the diplomatic defeats which Bismarck had inflicted on Napoleon, it seemed that only a successful war, waged on the Power from which France had received those successive rebuffs, could restore the aforesaid prestige and ensure the duration of the Bonaparte dynasty.

Even nowadays, in spite of innumerable revelations, many writers continue to cast all the responsibility of the Franco-German War on Germany, or, to be more precise, on Prussia as represented by Bismarck. That, however, is a great error. A trial of strength was regarded on both sides as inevitable, and both sides contributed to bring it about.

Bismarck's share in the conflict was to precipitate hostilities, selecting for them what he judged to be an opportune moment for his country, and thereby preventing the Emperor Napoleon from maturing his designs. The latter did not intend to declare war until early in 1871; the Prussian statesman brought it about in July, 1870...

The Fall of France

5

On 2 September 1870

Curiously enough, on the very day of the disaster of WĂśrth a rumour of a great French victory spread through Paris. My father had occasion to send me to his bankers in the Rue Vivienne, and on making my way to the Boulevards, which I proposed to follow, I was amazed to see the shopkeepers eagerly setting up the tricolour flags which they habitually displayed on the Emperor's fĂŞte-day (August 15). Nobody knew exactly how the rumours of victory had originated, nobody could give any precise details respecting the alleged great success, but everybody believed in it, and the enthusiasm was universal. It was about the middle of the day when I repaired to the Rue Vivienne, and after transacting my business there, I turned into the Place de la Bourse, where a huge crowd was assembled. The steps of the exchange were also covered with people, and amidst a myriad eager gesticulations a perfect babel of voices was ascending to the blue sky. One of the green omnibuses, which in those days ran from the Bourse to Passy, was waiting on the square, unable to depart owing to the density of the crowd; and all at once, amidst a scene of great excitement and repeated shouts of "La Marseillaise!" "La Marseillaise!" three or four welldressed men climbed on to the vehicle, and turning towards the mob of speculators and sightseers covering the steps of the Bourse, they called to them repeatedly: "Silence! Silence!" The hubbub slightly subsided, and thereupon one of the party on the omnibus, a good-looking slim young fellow with a little moustache, took off his hat, raised his right arm, and began to sing the war-hymn of the Revolution. The stanza finished, the whole assembly took up the refrain.

Since the days of the Coup d'État, the Marseillaise had been banned in France, the official imperial air being "Partant pour la Syrie," a military march composed by the Emperor's mother, Queen Hortense, with words by Count Alexandre de Laborde, who therein pictured a handsome young knight praying to the Blessed Virgin before his departure for Palestine, and soliciting of her benevolence that he might "prove to be the bravest brave, and love the fairest fair." During the twenty years of the third Napoleon's rule, Paris had heard the strains of "Partant pour la Syrie" many thousand times, and, though they were tuneful enough, had become thoroughly tired of them. To stimulate popular enthusiasm in the war the Ollivier Cabinet had accordingly authorized the playing and singing of the long-forbidden "Marseillaise," which, although it was well-remembered by the survivors of '48, and was hummed even by the young Republicans of Belleville and the Quartier Latin, proved quite a novelty to half the population, who were destined to hear it again and again and again from that period until the present time...

The Fall of France

6

On 2 September 1870

The first reports which reached Paris indicated, as usual, very favourable results respecting the contest there. My friend Captain Bingham, however, obtained some correct information-- from, I believe, the British Embassy--and I have always understood that it was he who first made the terrible truth known to one of the deputies of the Opposition party, who hastened to convey it to Thiers. The battle of Sedan was fought on Thursday, September 1; but it was only on Saturday, September 3, that Palikao shadowed forth the disaster in the Chamber, stating that MacMahon had failed to effect a junction with Bazaine, and that, after alternate reverses and successes--that is, driving a part of the German army into the Meuse!--he had been obliged to retreat on Sedan and MÊzières, some portion of his forces, moreover, having been compelled to cross the Belgian frontier.

That tissue of inaccuracies, devised perhaps to palliate the effect of the German telegrams of victory which were now becoming known to the incredulous Parisians, was torn to shreds a few hours later when the Legislative Body assembled for a night-sitting. Palikao was then obliged to admit that the French army and the Emperor Napoleon had surrendered to the victorious German force. Jules Favre, who was the recognized leader of the Republican Opposition, thereupon brought forward a motion of dethronement, proposing that the executive authority should be vested in a parliamentary committee. In accordance with the practice of the Chamber, Farve's motion had to be referred to its _bureaux_, or ordinary committees, and thus no decision was arrived at that night, it being agreed that the Chamber should reassemble on the morrow at noon.

The deputies separated at a very late hour. My father and myself were among all the anxious people who had assembled on the Place de la Concorde to await the issue of the debate. Wild talk was heard on every side, imprecations were levelled at the Empire, and it was already suggested that the country had been sold to the foreigner. At last, as the crowd became extremely restless, the authorities, who had taken their precautions in consequence of the revolutionary spirit which was abroad, decided to disperse it...

More reading: Ernest Alfred Vizetelly, My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/9896/pg9896.txt

RWTransmission 35

7

35th week 2015

Attr. à collard. hotel de ville hotel de ville, paris, end of 1860’s large Albumen print, 435x320 mm. Gambetta could not stay in the turbulent Parliament and made the proclamation since the balcony of Hotel de Ville. ₏ 600

Gambetta Speech

8

On 4 September

«Français ! Le Peuple a devancé la Chambre, qui hésitait.

Pour sauver la Patrie en danger, il a demandé la République.

Il a mis ses représentants non au pouvoir, mais au péril.

La République a vaincu l'invasion en 1792, la République est proclamée.

La Révolution est faite au nom du droit, du salut public.

Citoyens, veillez sur la Cité qui vous est confiée; demain vous serez, avec l'armée, les vengeurs de la Patrie ! hôtel de ville de paris, le 4 septembre 1870. signé : emmanuel arago, adolphe crémieux, pierre-Frédéric dorian, Jules Favre, Jules Ferry, guyot-montpayroux, léon gambetta, louis-antoine garnier-pagès, Joseph-pierre magnin, Francisque ordinaire, pierre-albert tachard, eugène pelletan, ernest picard, Jules simon. » Avant ce 4 septembre 1870, la “République” avait déjà été proclamée, en France, à deux reprises, la première fois par l'abolition de la royauté par la Convention nationale, le 21 septembre 1792 ; la seconde, par le Gouvernement provisoire du 24 février 1848.

"French! The People outperformed the House, who hesitated. To save the Fatherland in danger, he asked the Republic.

He put his representatives not in power, but at risk.

The Republic defeated the invasion in 1792, the Republic is proclaimed.

The Revolution is in the name of law, public salvation.

Citizens, watch over the city entrusted to you; tomorrow you will be with the army, the avengers of the Fatherland! paris, cuty-hall, september 4, 1870. signed: emmanuel arago, adolphe crémieux, pierre Frédéric dorian, Jules Favre, Jules Ferry, guyot-montpayroux, leon gambetta, louisantoine garnier-pagès, Joseph-pierre magnin, Francisque ordinary, pierre-albert tachard, eugène pelletan, ernest picard, Jules simon. " Before the September 4, 1870, the "Republic" had already been proclaimed in France, twice, the first time by the abolition of the monarchy by the National Convention, September 21, 1792; the second, by the Provisional Government of February 24, 1848.

RWTransmission 35

9

35th week 2015

charles soulier (1840-1875). l’incendie de la commune, paris, mai 1871 Albumen print, 124x170 mm, captioned : “L’incendie”.

For technical obvious reasons, in 1871, photojournalism could not document Parisian refugees in the basements.

The photographer completed his series with the albumen reproduction of an hative painted composition. And suddenly, Paris looks medieval, gothic, pre-haussmmanian. € 300

RWTransmission 35

10

35th week 2015

Florentin nicolas claude harmand photographe ernest pichio (1826-1893), le triomphe de l’ordre, 1877-1879 Vintage albumen print, 435x320 mm, interesting vintage caption about censorship, ink and pencil on mount : "Photographie interdite le 26 Aout 1879".

The Triumph of the order, also said the Communards' Wall, was made in 1877 by Ernest Pichio during his exile in Geneva. Pichio painted with The Triumph of the order a unique iconographic document of the massive summary executions at Pere Lachaise. The subject was not tolerated by French administration and institutions for almost a century.

The painting desapeared and reproduction were severely forbidden. No other albumen print known. One lithographic interpretation at St-Denis Museum. â‚Ź 1.800

Number Thirty-five of the weekly Transmission has been adapted to a new format for iphones and mobile devices uploaded on Thursday, 3rd September at 15:15 (Paris time).

Upcoming uploads and transmissions now on Thursdays : Thursday 10th September, Thursday17th September, Thursday 24th Sept.

RhinocĂŠros & Cie Studios Robespierre / 71 rue Robespierre 93100 Montreuil / France studios@robespierre.fr Phone (10 am-5 pm) : (+33) 1.43.60.71.71 Correspondence in English, French, Dutch, Russian, Italian, Spanish, German, Turkish.

Archives and updates available on our site: www.rhinoceros.gallery