WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.670 Hi. I'm Jesse Alexander and thank you for supporting 00:00:02.670 --> 00:00:05.565 this companion episode of Glory & Defeat. 00:00:05.565 --> 00:00:09.060 Today, we're going to talk about Anton von Werner famous painting of 00:00:09.060 --> 00:00:13.965 the proclamation of the German Emperor on January 18th, 1871. WEBVTT 00:00:13.965 --> 00:00:16.155 In June 1872, 00:00:16.155 --> 00:00:21.345 the German Princes and Free Cities commission von Werner to paint a 4.3 by WEBVTT 00:01:45.620 --> 00:01:50.480 It's similar to the Zeughaus version since von Werner didn't have much time. 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:54.710 He simply painted over a sketch that he had made for the Zeughaus version. WEBVTT 00:01:54.710 --> 00:01:56.570 But there are differences. 00:01:56.570 --> 00:02:01.025 War Minister Albrecht von Roon only appears in this version. WEBVTT 00:02:01.025 --> 00:02:03.500 He was left out of the other two because in 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:07.835 1871 he was sick and didn't actually attend the ceremony. 00:02:07.835 --> 00:02:13.940 To squeeze them in, von Werner removed the handshake of generals [inaudible]. WEBVTT 00:02:13.940 --> 00:02:17.690 This version can be seen today at the Bismarck museum in Germany. 00:02:17.690 --> 00:02:21.110 The 1913 Frankfort version of the painting was 00:02:21.110 --> 00:02:24.320 very similar to the Zeughaus and the [inaudible] versions. WEBVTT 00:02:24.320 --> 00:02:28.565 For many years, it hung in a high school auditorium in Frankfurt order, 00:02:28.565 --> 00:02:32.180 but it's considered lost since the end of World War II. WEBVTT 00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:37.640 Every German history textbook still shows a picture of the [inaudible] versions, 00:02:37.640 --> 00:02:40.645 but it's usually just for illustrative purposes. 00:02:40.645 --> 00:02:45.380 Anton von Werner Kaiserproklamation paintings are a prime example of how WEBVTT 00:02:45.380 --> 00:02:50.165 historical images are sources for the time and context of their production, 00:02:50.165 --> 00:02:52.460 not the events that they portray. WEBVTT 00:02:52.460 --> 00:02:57.020 There's always an artist or a sponsor with a specific intention, 00:02:57.020 --> 00:02:59.630 something that you can keep in mind when we use 00:02:59.630 --> 00:03:03.110 paintings or sketches to illustrate our episodes. WEBVTT 00:03:03.110 --> 00:03:05.585 Thanks again for supporting Glory & Defeat, 00:03:05.585 --> 00:03:08.220 and I'll see you next week. WEBVTT 00:00:21.345 --> 00:00:27.055 eight meter oil painting of the Kaiserproklamation for 20 thousand [inaudible] taller. 00:00:27.055 --> 00:00:30.590 In 1877, they presented the finished painting 00:00:30.590 --> 00:00:34.235 as an 80th birthday gift to Kaiser Wilhelm The First. WEBVTT 00:00:34.235 --> 00:00:38.660 The painting depicts the proclamation as von Werner might have experienced it, 00:00:38.660 --> 00:00:41.150 and he even included himself. 00:00:41.150 --> 00:00:44.510 This so-called palace version of the painting burned WEBVTT 00:00:44.510 --> 00:00:47.630 in 1945 in a World War II bombing rate, 00:00:47.630 --> 00:00:50.900 but there were actually three other versions of the work. WEBVTT 00:00:50.900 --> 00:00:54.695 In 1882, von Werner painted the Zeughaus version 00:00:54.695 --> 00:00:58.745 for the Prussian Army Hall of Fame in the Berlin Zeughaus, or arsenal. 00:00:58.745 --> 00:01:02.420 This version shows the event from the front since von Werner had to 00:01:02.420 --> 00:01:06.679 reduce the number of figures to fit the smaller width of the canvas. WEBVTT 00:01:06.679 --> 00:01:09.310 There are also differences from actual events. 00:01:09.310 --> 00:01:12.890 Bismarck is wearing white instead of the blue he really wore, WEBVTT 00:01:12.890 --> 00:01:17.150 and Helmuth von Moltke is beside Bismarck rather than behind him. 00:01:17.150 --> 00:01:21.950 The people in the image appear the age that they were in 1882 when it was WEBVTT 00:01:21.950 --> 00:01:26.720 painted and not in 1871 when the proclamation actually happened. 00:01:26.720 --> 00:01:31.325 The Zeughaus version has been missing since the end of World War II. 00:01:31.325 --> 00:01:35.780 The [inaudible] version is the most well-known and is the one WEBVTT 00:01:35.780 --> 00:01:39.620 associated with the historical image of the Imperial proclamation. 00:01:39.620 --> 00:01:45.620 The royal family commissioned it in 1885 as a gift for Bismarck 70th birthday.