L'Illustration

L'Illustration was a weekly French newspaper published in Paris from 1843 to 1944. It was founded by Édouard Charton and the first issue was published on March 4, 1843.

In 1891, L'Illustration became the first French newspaper to publish a photograph. Many of these photographs came from syndicated photo-press agencies like Chusseau-Flaviens, but the publication also employed its own photographers such as Léon Gimpel and others. In 1907, L'Illustration was the first to publish a color photograph. It also published Gaston Leroux' novel Le mystère de la chambre jaune as a serial a year before its 1908 release.

During the Second World War, while it was owned by the Baschet family, L'Illustration supported Marshal Philippe Pétain's Révolution nationale. While it initially turned down pro-German articles by Jacques Bouly de Lesdain, Lesdain later became its political editor.

The magazine was shut down in 1944 following the Liberation of Paris. A revived version opened in 1945 under the name France-Illustration, but went bankrupt in 1957.

L'Illustration in "Ils ne passeront pas"
During the Verdun campaign, copies of L'Illustration were kept on hand by the French Army unit which included Pierre Barres and Jacques Fonsagrive. When newspapers ran out, pages from the magazine made excellent toilet paper.

On one occasion, Barres actually glanced at an article from the rag. It was about the ongoing fighting, and it was clear that the journalist had never been within 100 kilometres of any combat zone.