Lot no. 168
*Jean-Jacques SCHERRER (1855-1916)
"Capitulation of Verdun (2 September 1792)" circa 1883.
Oil on canvas, signed lower left JJ. Scherrer
92 x 75 cm
Carved, stuccoed and gilded wood frame.
(cut)
"On 1 September 1792, the Prussian army invaded Verdun and ordered the town to surrender. Beaurepaire, head of the 1st Maine-et-Loire battalion, in charge of commanding the town, refused the summons. The Prussians fired shells into the town, starting fires. A number of houses were damaged and others reduced to ashes.
The civil and military council that was then responsible for assessing the state of the town's defences met to deliberate, and the majority voted in favour of surrendering. (...)
Beaurepaire initially refused to listen to his defence council. However, he was forced to admit that the fortifications were in a very poor state and gave his consent to the capitulation provided that the garrison was allowed to leave with its cannons. "I will not surrender the town until I die", he had told the Convention. He kept his word. He went home and set fire to himself. (...)
The garrison left with the honours of war, taking with them their weapons, baggage, cannons and the body of their commander. (...)
The National Convention ordered the body of the brave Beaurepaire to be taken to the Pantheon, and towns and villages all along the route rose to salute his glorious remains". (Paul Varin Collection. Episodes of the wars of 1792. The Capitulation of Verdun).
"(...) In the background, Brunswick on horseback, together with two officers from his staff, stand before the remains of Beaurepaire. To the right and left of the group formed by Brunswick and his officers, the German army pays military honours to the French commander (...)". (...)" (from the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers)
Bibliography, provenance and museum sources:
-Our painting comes from the Brucker family of the Strasbourg/Colmar region, who are said to have received it as a gift from Viscount Renouard de Bussière according to the knowledge of the present grandson.
The large-format painting (5 metres 27 x 4 metres 40) was exhibited at the 1883 Salon under the number 2181, and was acquired by the French state. It is currently held by the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Angers under inventory number 2013.22.152. We would like to thank Mrs Dominique SAUVEGRAIN, Head of the Documentation-Phototheque Department.
-This painting made a strong impression on its period, and was reproduced in small format, of which 2 copies have been identified: one, which is kept at the Musée de la Princerie in Verdun (it measures 92 x 81 cm) and our copy (it measures 92 x 75 cm). The painting in the Musée de la Princerie, kept under inventory number 995.30.1, has a slightly different, "closer" framing.
-This painting was the subject of black and white engravings and a chromolithographed booklet cover in 1885 published by Paul VARIN and printed by Blavier (F.) Veuve for the "Episodes des guerres de 1792" collection. This booklet is kept at the BNF, inventory number 2013.00839.
