Ruins of the Tuileries Palace
Isidore Pils French
Not on view
At first glance, this atmospheric view appears to depict the ruins of an ancient structure. It is only when focusing on the Arc du Carrousel in the background that it becomes clear that the subject is a contemporary one. The drawing records the remains of the Parisian Tuileries Palace, one of several important French monuments that was burned down during the Paris Commune of 1871. The Tuileries had served as a royal residence since 1564, and its demise was a powerful symbol for the socialist revolutionaries. While other monuments were eventually rebuilt, the palace was left in ruins until the government decided to demolish it completely in 1882. In the interim, many artists captured the building’s haunting appearance in drawings, paintings, and photographs.
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