"Le Bataille de Rezonville"

"La Bataille de Rezonville" (the Battle of Rezonville) was painted by Detailee and DeNeuville in 1883.  These two well-known French artists collaborated on the painting because Detaille was a military painter and DeNeuville specialized in landscapes.

This picture is part of a huge panorama painting in 115 parts, which was exhibited in Vienna from 1883 to 1887 to 1890.  Panorama paintings were very popular during the 1880s, but by the turn of the century, they had fallen out of fashion.  This type of painting is a link with the development of photography.  Such monumental paintings made both the battle and the landscape in the background seem very real.

The painting was inspired by the battle at Rezonville on August 16, 1870, in which 32,749 people perished.  In the background, we can see flames and soldiers.  Quiet is settling over the scene after a long ay of fightings.  The painting achieved great renown.  After the exhibition in Paris, is was sent abroad where it was divided into 115 pieces, which were sold at auction around the world.  One section ended up at the Grand Hotel.

There are many reasons why the painting was divided. After panorama painting went out of style, many felt that Detaille's painting had no value if it was not exhibited.  Cutting it into pieces of reasonable size was the only way for it to be displayed easily.

Today, you can see a complete copy of "La Bataille de Rezonville" at the Musée d'Art in Paris.  We learned the history of this painting from a French guest, who stayed at the Grand Hotel in 1994 and recognized the picture.