French Revolution, End Of The 18th Century, Rare Color Engraving Forming A Medallion Representing King Louis XVI During The Last Day Of His Trial At The Tuileries Palace By The Convention

French Revolution, End of the 18th century, Rare color engraving forming a medallion representing King Louis XVI during the last day of his trial at the Tuileries Palace by the Convention

Revolutionary Period


Seditious color engraving representing Louis XVI during his trial. In the foreground, sans-culottes wearing the Phrygian cap bearing the cockade are armed with peaks and scythes taking note of the sentence and observing King Louis XVI, the latter leaning on a platform, a cartel placed behind him. On the King's right, a representation of a young man, possibly his son Louis Charles, on his left, a soldier of the National Guard seizing the King, the latter seeming to push away his embrace with his right hand. A second soldier of the National Guard to the left of the platform, saber drawn seeming to indicate the direction where Louis XVI must be taken back, possibly the Temple tower.

On the platform, the following inscriptions:

"God who formed Louis, watch over your image. Virtue on the Throne is your most beautiful work"

"Words of LOUIS XVI"

"The good man who has nothing
to reproach himself for    is always calm,
Friend      if he throbs... I am
calm... say, am I not
calm?"

Stamp from the Soulavie collection


Good general condition, small losses
8.2 cm medallion included
Former Jean-Louis Giraud-Soulavie collection (1752-1813)
Former André BERNHEIM collection (1877-1961)


To go further:

Trial of Louis XVI
Jean-Louis Soulavie