3-065-568 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Meeting of the French Commission of Thirty at Versailles, 1874. '...these gentlemen...are appointed by the National Assembly to examine the existing constitutional laws of France...Two of the most influential, Comte Napoleon Daru and M. de Chesnelong, are standing in the middle foreground, conversing with M. Lucien Brun, who rises from his chair and turns to speak with them. On the opposite side of the table the President, M. Batbie, stands in the attitude of a speaker; his little hand-bell lies before him, ready to sound the signal of attention to the order of debate. M. de Kerdrel, one of the vice-presidents, sits at his right; the other, M. de Talhouet, sits at his left. The three secretaries, De Sezanne, Tarteron, and Tallon, are next the vice-presidents on that side. Standing behind a corner of the table, and shown to the left..., are two distinguished members of the Commission, M. Dufaure, the eminent lawyer, who was lately Minister of Justice, and M. Laboulaye, a good writer upon subjects of moral and social reform...The walls...are adorned with paintings, one large picture representing a scene at the Restoration of Charles X., others showing Bonaparte's victories..., with an equestrian portrait of Louis Philippe in military uniform'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.