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Published by Barbara Steiner. Translated by Bigna Gysin.

Horse suffering and faith

Around 1871, man and horse shared a common destiny: the hoofed animal was indispensable for everyday life and essential in war. However, the condition of the powerful pack animal during the internment of the Bourbaki army was at least as precarious as that of the soldiers. Their wretched appearance plays an important role in the huge circular painting, conveying an essential message as well.

Exhausted
Along with the 87,000 soldiers, 12,000 horses crossed the border into Switzerland in the winter of 1871. Their appearance is clearly affected by weeks of under-supply in the winter cold - they stand and lie around, gaunt and exhausted. Some are even missing their manes and tails, nibbled away by their fellow sufferers. As “constant eaters” the horses’ stomachs start to ache after just three hours without food. Wooden fences and wagon drawbars also helped to deceive hunger.

Outsourced and Chosen
Having already reached the limits of its capacity to supply the many soldiers in need, the Federal Council ordered public auctions of the horses. The French government intervenes, as the horses are state-owned “army equipment”. A fierce protest against the Swiss action had already erupted in the French press. Following France's concession to cover the maintenance costs, the auctions were cancelled without further ado. The revenue of 1,150,200 francs were deducted from the total bill for the internment to the French state. In fact, greed also flared up around the Bourbaki horses: in the hope of finding a bargain, horse dealers found their way to Les Verrières. They acquired horses in good condition from soldiers for mere fractions of their value. However, General Herzog soon placed an advert urging them to dutifully return the illegally seized foreign property.

Ingenious
The ailing horses play an important role in the Bourbaki Panorama artwork, not only in terms of quantity but also in terms of their significance: Their suffering moves the viewer. It symbolises the bitterness of war. This explicit visualisation of the senseless misery of war corresponds to the message of the circular painting itself: The veto against war is at the same time a declaration of faith in the peace-promoting civilisation of the young federal state.

Interned horses lying around and standing around: Due to a lack of capacity, the horses remained largely unattended for the time being. Round painting Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne, Edouard Castres, 1881, oil on canvas, 110 x 12 m (detailed view).
Interned horses lying around and standing around: Due to a lack of capacity, the horses remained largely unattended for the time being. Round painting Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne, Edouard Castres, 1881, oil on canvas, 110 x 12 m (detailed view).
A horse dealer buys a well-preserved horse from a soldier. Round painting Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne, Edouard Castres, 1881, oil on canvas, 110 x 12 m (detailed view).
A horse dealer buys a well-preserved horse from a soldier. Round painting Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne, Edouard Castres, 1881, oil on canvas, 110 x 12 m (detailed view).
A colonial soldier sits on a presumably dead horse’s body to keep warm. Round painting Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne, Edouard Castres, 1881, oil on canvas, 110 x 12 m (detailed view).
A colonial soldier sits on a presumably dead horse’s body to keep warm. Round painting Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne, Edouard Castres, 1881, oil on canvas, 110 x 12 m (detailed view).
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