History through images - An exceptional achievement

Here's an exemplary cultural site. Produced under the aegis of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, "L' histoire par l'image" presents works of historical heritage with a view to making them accessible and educational.

For each work, you'll find a note on the author, the bibliography used for its interpretation, and above all the historical context, an analysis of the image and an interpretation, all of high quality.

Works can be searched thematically, chronologically or in detail, enlarged at high resolution, printed with commentary and added to a personal album, enabling a teacher to show specific pieces for a lesson without wasting time browsing during class...

History teachers will love the treasures to be found in "History through images". This is a source of passion.

L'Histoire par l'image" aims to enrich our knowledge of the past through works of art and related iconographic documents. Many works of art, whatever their nature (painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, engraving), are all too often used as mere illustrations, and deserve to be analyzed beyond the brief caption that usually accompanies them.

These works don't just refer to key events in French history (revolutions, wars, regime changes). Indeed, the artists of past centuries have left us a remarkable body of evidence of the major social and cultural changes that France has undergone since the Revolution."

The site is primarily aimed at secondary school teachers and their students. It now covers world history.

A free public service, L' Histoire par l'image is also aimed at families, art lovers and history buffs, enabling them to discover and exploit the collections of over 60 museums and archives.

As for us at Thot, who are not French for the most part, this site not only leads us to take an interest in France and its culture, but also communicates to us a furious desire to bring our own art and culture into our everyday lives.

When we read, for example, that Théodore Géricault, who painted the "Raft of the Medusa", defended the survivors, accused of anthropophagy, both in his work and in the field, we understand that art can also be political and human.

History through images.... a formidable work of cultural development