Bourbaki's Army Crossing into Switzerland
Edouard Castres · 1881
Why it's great
The worn-out French army of General Bourbaki, starved and half frozen, crosses into Switzerland in February 1871 to escape the Germans, and Swiss people took the soldiers in. Édouard Castres, a Swiss painter who was there as a Red Cross volunteer, painted it in 1881.
🏛️ Part of history
The Franco-Prussian War & the Paris Commune (1870–1871) — The worn-out French army of General Bourbaki, starved and half frozen, crosses into Switzerland in February 1871 to escape the Germans, and Swiss people took the soldiers in.
Where to see it
📍 Location not recordedWe couldn't confirm where it hangs today. Museums sometimes move or lend paintings, so check the museum's website before you travel.
Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Édouard Castres was a Swiss painter born in Geneva in 1838. He volunteered as a Red Cross helper in the Franco-Prussian War and later painted the huge panorama of the Bourbaki army's retreat into Switzerland. He died in Annemasse, France, in 1902.
