The Death of Saint Louis c. 1817

"The Death of Saint Louis" (c. 1817) by Ary Scheffer depicts the final moments of King Louis IX of France. The scene takes place on a beach in Tunisia, where the King died in 1270 during the Eighth Crusade. Scheffer, known for his historical and religious paintings, captures the solemnity of the event with a focus on the grief of the mourners. Saint Louis's grieving wife, Queen Margaret, is seated at the head of the bed, while his son, King Philip III, stands solemnly behind him. This evocative depiction of death and mourning draws on themes of religious faith and royal power, typical of Romantic-era art.