1-150-572 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'Le Duel à Mort', 1869. In an effort to stem the rising tide of his unpopularity, Napoleon III had relaxed press censorship in France. This led to a number of republican journals making their appearance and battle lines were drawn between these and the Orleanist faction. This cartoon shows a representative of each slugging it out whilst perilously balanced on the top of a tall gibbet with the nooses already around their necks. One or other would fall to an untimely death. From Punch, or the London Charivari, August 28, 1869.