35 Comments
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FarmGirl's avatar

It may be a charming portrait, but she doesn’t sound very charming to have suggested that her husband kill himself.

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Debra Nolasco's avatar

Or that she goaded him into starting a war.

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CB's avatar
13hEdited

As Wikipedia puts it in their coverage of the Franco-Prussian War, "Napoleon III's worsening health problems made him less and less capable of reining in Empress Eugénie, Gramont and the other members of the war party, known collectively as the 'mameluks'". So maybe the empress was the Victoria Nuland of her era.

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Red-Pilled ER Nurse's avatar

Nor to have pressured him into the pickle of a war that led to him capitulating.

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Tareq I. Albaho, PhD's avatar

Yeah, right. So, just by complete coincidence, there is a heist of her jewellery and you just happen to be invited to take a photo with a copy of her portrait at a conveniently distant location.

Hmm ... Were you in Paris a few days ago?

Though it seems the mystery may have now been solved:

https://x.com/michel_denisot/status/1980274129560391716?t=p01zB2nnYwgdzxHEVk86IA&s=08

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dmickg's avatar

LOL!!

"T.H.E. Cat." I loved that show (66-67)! Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat (Robert Loggia)

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Truthbird's avatar

What a story! Wild. I believe it.

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ANNEMARIE G's avatar

Great story, exquisite painting -thanks for sharing🙏

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Gina's avatar

The photo really completes the story!

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Patrick Frank's avatar

"which her husband had recently acquired" for ...$?

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Karon Mitchell's avatar

Many thanks for sharing your writing abilities and history lessons.

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carolyn kostopoulos's avatar

wow! you've got friends in high places!

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Will Tuttle's avatar

Wow! Magic happens!

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Birdingmom's avatar

What a wild and amazing story!

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Robert's avatar

That's wild! What a story! Thanks for sharing this.

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Joewrite's avatar

She was attractive or had a good artist. Interesting idea that she wanted war with Prussia and supposedly wanted Napoleon III to kill himself rather than surrender. The lives of the rich and powerful are diabolical. What does that teach us of the wealthy oligarchs who live among us?

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Edward Flynn's avatar

“No! An emperor does not capitulate! He is dead! … Why didn’t he kill himself!”

Louis had a lot of girlfriends. Were they all like this one?

I had to look up Napoleon lll, Bismarck and the Franco Prussian War. I was a bit stunned. I came away with a question: “What were they fighting about?” Please explain it to me … if that is possible!

Thanks for this fascinating post.

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KurtOverley's avatar

Super cool story!

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Countrywatch's avatar

Granada, Spain. Grenada Caribbean island.

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Rosa's avatar

Incredible story and opportunity to see the art in person!

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