A Rat Seller during the Siege of ParisNarcisse Chaillou

This 1870 painting by Narcisse Chaillou depicts a young boy selling rats during the Siege of Paris (1870–1871) in the Franco-Prussian War. It highlights the extreme famine and poverty faced by Parisians, where rats became a desperate food source as supplies dwindled. Chaillou’s work is a poignant reminder of human resilience amid adversity.