3-043-839 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

House of M. Thiers, Place St. Georges, Paris, 1871. 'The Communist reign in Paris...The private house of [President] Thiers...has been demolished by this amiable French political party. Our Special Artist in Paris contributes a view of this mansion, with the National Guards before it, when the work of wanton havoc was commenced...It was situated in the Faubourg Montmartre...The Place St. Georges is a small circular space, with a fountain surmounted by a lamp in the centre...The house has been pulled down, by a decree of the Commune, and the furniture of M. Thiers has been sold at auction. The money was to be given to the widows and orphans of National Guards killed in this civil war; and his collection of works of art was to be distributed among the public museums and libraries of France. The Thiers collection...[is] of great value...and contains [works by] Rembrandt and Vandyke...All these things were carted away in a few hours, like so much lumber, in heavy waggons, from under the flapping curtains of which one could distinguish books and pictures mixed pell-mell with costly japan, china, and boxes and cabinets of jade. It was said that several strangers, who were known to be wealthy, had been offered a chance of picking up sundry valuable articles'. From "Illustrated London News", 1871.