A detailed and rich album of sketches made at the apex of the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867), by Arthur Gondallier de Tugny (1834-c.1890), a correspondent for Le Monde Illustré. This failed attempt by French Emperor Napoleon III to instate conservative Catholic ally Archduke Maximilian as monarch of a Second Mexican Empire was a bloody intrusion into Mexican independence, hot on the heels of their own Civil War. All captioned, some with additional annotations, the large format sketches in this album offer eyewitness insight into the action of the French 99e Régiment de l’Infanterie de ligne in particular.
Gondallier de Tugny (1834-c.1890) served as a lieutenant in the 99e throughout the second French intervention into Mexico. A talented artist and journalist, he provided both reportage from the battlefields and illustrations, some of which are present as drafts in this sketchbook. Though his contributions to the album are not signed, they are easily identifiable from his credited drawings in the publication.
The album begins in Tenerife, then moves on to Jamaica, where two fine watercolour studies are supplemented by an additional seven lithographs from Adolphe Duperly’s rare publication Daguerian Excursions in Jamaica. From there he moves to Vera Cruz, Rancho Nuevo, La Soledad, Passo Ancho, Cordova, and finally Orizaba where there are a series of detailed annotated views from high vantage-points. A full list of the captions is below.
La Soledad and Orizaba were significant theatres in the war, the former being the site in February 1862 of the signing of the Convention of La Soledad, a peace treaty between allied European powers and the Mexican Republican government. There are also two amateur photographs taken in Orizaba, which add to the already detailed record of this action.
Alongside the works of de Tugny, there are an additional twelve pictures in another hand, signed “E.P.” These are the work of E. Pillaux, a comrade of de Tugny’s in the 99e. Even without the initials to mark them as Pillaux’s, they are distinctive in style, with a softer and more intimate focus on local people of Jamaica and Mexico, and on still life studies of natural history. Pillaux’s pictures include six delicate portraits of women from Soledad, one with a vignette botanical study, plus two watercolours of dead birds, annotated “tués par Billot le 1r Avril, dessines par Pilleux, mangés ladit jour”. The Billot mentioned as the killer of the birds is almost certainly Jean-Baptiste Billot (1828-1907), commandant of the state of Chihuahua. He had a long and celebrated French military career, culminating in his appointment as minister for war in 1882 during the second ministry. During this time he oversaw the Dreyfus Affair, and was implicated for conspiracy by Émile Zola.
De Tugny was present in Mexico from January 21st 1862 to May 2nd 1863, as part of the expeditionary force despatched to Veracruz at the order of Colonel Lhérillier. The corps comprised 7000 men, and was commanded by General Lorencez. Orizaba, which features prominently in this album, was the base of operations for the French army, and from there they marched on Mexico City. The 99e were responsible for protecting the rear of the expeditionary force, and as such on 13th June 1862 the 150-man regiment were instrumental in forcing the retreat of 2000 Mexican troops under General Ortega, at the Battle of Cerro del Borrego. This action is covered extensively by de Tugny’s detailed and annotated topographical views.
De Tugny’s record of his time in Mexico was not purely for his own pleasure, but rather reflects his engagement as a correspondent for one of nineteenth century France’s most popular weeklies, Le Monde Illustré. Between July 1862 and February 1863 several of his drawings appeared as engravings in the periodical, accompanying reports from the theatre of conflict. Notable examples can be found in the following issues: 5 July, 1862 (pp. 9-10), 12 July, 1862 (p. 21), 14 February, 1863 & 28 February, 1863. Though the original works from which these engravings were produced were presumably mailed back to the publisher in Paris, the drawing of the convent in Orizaba in the album dated 26 April 1862 is similar enough to the engraving published in Le Monde Illustré on 12 July to suggest a preliminary draft. Likewise a version of the sketch dated 15 July 1862 of the bridge at Soledad, blown up by guerilla forces, appears in the 1 November 1862 issue.
It is rare to find such a detailed and legible eyewitness record of this turbulent time in Mexican history, capturing a sense of what it was to be a French soldier engaged in a mission of colonial expansion in the final years of the Second Empire. Furthermore, this album offers insight into the process of correspondence which relayed information about this foreign campaign back to the literate French domestic population, giving them a window to the frontlines.
A full list of captions is as follows:
1. Santa Cruz de Ténériffe Calle de Tigre [ink]
2. Santa Cruz de Ténériffe. Entrée de Jardin public – corps de garde – chateau – Maison du gouveneur / vu puis de l’hotel d’angleterre [ink]
3. La pie de Ténériffe, d’aprèz une stéreoscopie des environs d’Ortava [ink]
4. *Ténériffe Monument de la place de la Constitution / Bon leyer des Cannaries donne d’hiver [two ink, pencil and watercolour sketches]
5. Jamaïque – Le Pilote [pencil - EP]
6. *Costumes de la Jamaïque [two ink and watercolour studies]
7. Port Royal – port militaire de la Jamaique [ink]
8. Kingston (Jamaica) A View of Church Street [lithograph]
9. Jamaica Market Street (Dalmouk) [lithograph]
10. Jamaica (Island) Cornwall Street Dalmouk [lithograph]
11. Monaeague Tavern Parish of St Ann [lithograph]
12. Lindo Store Parish of St Ann [lithograph]
13. Cascade of Roaring River Near St Ann’s Bog [lithograph] #
14. Jamaica Cascade of White River Near Ocho Rios in St Ann [lithograph]
15. Raisin du Tropique – Je trouve dans la mer des Antilles [seaweed specimen]
16. Vera-Cruz et le fort St Jean d’Ulloa vus du moillage à Sacrificios [ink]
17. Port du Mole Vera Cruz – Entrée du 99e le 25 Mars [ink and wash]
18. Aduana Nacionale Dispacho – Vnez woir messieurres z’et dames vl’a tout la Messique! Des bites noires qui se batten et mangent de la saloperie; des verdures qui piquant les mains quant on z’y touche et le ventre quant z’on en mange, avec tout ça un soleil sitellement chaud qu’il a rougi l’eteignoiz don’t t’y se servient pour arbiter leur zopilote. [ink]
# 19. Tejeria – Type de cabanes des terres chaudes – route de la Vera Cruz à Mexico [ink]
20. Rancho Nuevo – le Chiquihuite le pic d’Orizaba [ink]
21. Eglise en presbytere de la Soledad [ink]
22. Petra - la Soledad [pencil – EP]
23. Petra – la Soledad [pencil – EP]
24. Femme de la Soledad - myathe [pencil and watercolour -EP]
25. Femme de la Soledad [pencil – EP]
26. Trinité Sophie – la Soledad [pencil – EP]
27. Femme de la Soledad [pencil – EP] #
28. Pont de la Soledad – brulé depuis par les Guerillas – Rte de Vera Cruz à Mexico Pont sur le rio Jamapa à Soledad [ink and wash]
29. Rio Jamapa – Soledad [pencil – EP]
30. Fourmillier – Volé par les Prussiens 1870 [sketch removed]
31. Tu és par Billot le 1r Avril dessines par Pilleux mangés ladit jour – Soledad [watercolour – Billot] #
32. Perroquet - Fai par Billot le 3 Avril le 3 Avril et mange ladit jour – Soledad [watercolour - Billot]
33. Passo Ancho – campement de chasseurs d’Afrique – 1er et 8er du 1er B du 99 – fortin espagnol – Rte de Vera Cruz à Mexico – Ravin – auberge 2 fouis de campagne [ink] #
34. Ravin de Passo-Ancho [ink]
35. Ravin de Passo-Ancho [ink]
36. Faux Cotonnier Paso-Ancho [watercolour]
37. Les terres chaudes – Vues du Chiquihuite Confluent du Chiquihuite et de l’Atoyac [ink]
38. Passerelle sur l’Atoyac [ink]
39. Bords de l’Atoyac [ink]
40. Potrero Hacienda de Mr. Legrand [ink]
41. Cantlapa en regardant le Fortin [ink]
42. Cantlapa [ink]
43. Eglise à Cordova [ink]
44. Bananier [ink]
45. Bananier [pencil]
46. [untitled study of a sprig of brugmansia (angel’s trumpet) in water] [pencil with ink highlights – EP]
47. Indiens des Environs de Cordova [ink and watercolour]
48. Eglise Paroissale de Cordova [ink]
49. Cordova San Antonio en le ravin Huatusco [ink]
50. Maitre autel de l’Eglise de Cordova [sepia ink and wash]
51. Pic d’Orizaba – vu entre cette ville et Cantlapa [ink and wash]
52. La Concordia (Orizaba) [ink and wash]
53. La Concordia Orizaba 26 Avril 1862 [ink]
54. Porte de Puebla Orizaba [ink]
55. Bambou [ink]
56. Vue exterieure de la porte de Puebla Orizaba le 15 au soir [ink]
57. Vallée d’Orizaba à El Ingenio prise du Borrego – La tranchée Mexicaine – 600 ft de l’Etat Major de Sanagosa – Village de Ingenio- chemin de St. Andres par S. Antonio – Maison de campagne - Porte de l’Angustura ou de puebla [ink]
58. Vue d’Orizaba prise du Borrego – hospital S. Jose. Etat major de la place et maison du general de Lorenez – calle reale (Rue royale) – cimetière – cocotapam f”? de toile et de papier – moulin – hacienda de Jalapilla – Le cascade de Rio Blanco – montagne de Cantlapa – Barrio Lluovo – Rte de Vera Cruz – Guérite de le Escamela – Eglise Indienne – Montagne d’Escamela – La concordia – marché l’hotel de ville la paroisse – S. Antonio – Riviere – l’Alameda (prominade publique) [ink]
59. Porte de l’Augustine ou de Puebla en le Borrego [ink]
60. Terrain du combat sue le Borrego - Vue de la partie du Borrego ou a en lieu le combat. Du grande vie ne comprend guere que le 2me attaque de petite esquisse indique haut le terrain avec le position des canons et les travaux exientes depuis(la grande redoute ne peut se voir) Vue de le croix elevie au centre du terrain du combat. – Centre du terrain du combat – fin du combat (2me partie et redoute) – Commencement du combat (batterie) – Orizaba. [ink]
61. Le Borrego - côté par où sont montes les Mexicains [ink and wash]
62. Croix élevée sur le Borrego - se inauguro à 15 de Agosto de 1862 Este signo de Gaz. !ojale puede escapar a los altrages del tiempo y de los partidos! – Orizaba – croix elevie sur le mont Borrego par les soins de Mr l’abbé Montferrand au monier l’expedition. d’apres un croquis de Mr Cibo 11 de Chap. d’Afrique) [ink]
63. fleurs cueillies sur le Borrego [watercolour – EP]
64. Intérieur de maison a Orizaba [photograph]
65. Hopital san José – Orizaba [photograph]
66. guerite en travaux de défense – guerite de la route de Jesus Maria. [ink]
67. San Antonio a Orizaba [watercolour]*
68. Tejamalucan – 2 Ba. – etat major et garde de palire – 1re. Ban. du 99. [ink]*
69. Alcucingo en le 1r. passage des Cumbres – Chasseurs d’Afrique Artillaire de Montagnes, marines. 99eurs. [?] de Marine [ink]
70. Ponte Colorado en le 1re passage des Cumbres [ink]
71. Ponte Colorado en le 2eme passage des Cumbres [ink]
