[The Tuileries After Its Destruction by the Communards] 1871

Hippolyte-Auguste Collard made this albumen silver print of the Tuileries Palace sometime after it was burned down in May 1871. As a photographer working for the French government, Collard was tasked with documenting the damage done to the city during the Franco-Prussian War and the subsequent Paris Commune. The image shows the ruins of the Tuileries Palace, which had been a symbol of the French monarchy and empire for centuries. Its destruction by the Communards was a symbolic act of defiance against the established order. Collard’s photograph captures the extent of the damage. But it also presents the palace as a ruin, a reminder of the violence and destruction of the Commune. To better understand this image, we can consult archives from the time, including newspapers, government documents, and personal letters. These sources can help us to understand the social and political context in which the photograph was made, and to interpret its meaning for audiences at the time and today.