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Auguste Andre Lancon (1836, Saint-Claude-1887, Paris) Auguste Andre Lancon 'Auguste Lancon': A great French nineteenth century painter and etcher of military scenes and animal studies, Auguste Andre Lancon was a student of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and completed his studies in Paris, under Picot. His admiration for the art of Barye led him to closely study the lives of animals. Lancon first exhibited his art at the Paris Salon in 1861. Beginning in 1870 Auguste Lancon became as famous for his fine etchings and paintings of military scenes and warfare as for his depictions of animals. When the Franco-Prussian war occurred (1870-1871) he was appointed sergeant of a battalion and was captured and imprisoned for a period of six months. August Lancon created seventy fine etchings dealing with this conflict and later served in 1877 as a war correspondent in the Balkan campaign. Route de Mouzon, 31 Aout, 1870 (Mouzon Road, August 31, 1870) is one of Auguste Lancon's most moving portrayals of the Franco-Prussian war and the horrors of armed conflict. It deals with one of France's most disastrous defeats. On August 27, 1870, at Buzancy, the Prussian cavalry defeated the French Chasseurs. During the following five days the Prussians routed the French in a number of other engagements. Route de Mouzon, 31 Aout, 1870 (Mouzon Road, August 31, 1870) portrays an August 31st massacre of a French supply detachment. No doubt Lancon was an eye witness to this tragedy and many others. On Sept. 2, fifty generals, 5,000 officers and 84,000 soldiers (Lancon among them) surrendered to the Prussian army. On Sept. 19th, the city of Paris fell. An impression of Route de Mouzon, 31 Aout, 1870 can be found in the collection of the British Museum, purchased in 1876, Registration number, 1876,1111.450 Etching from 1880 printed on parchment.