Departure of Louis XVIII from the Palace of the Tuileries on the Night of 20 March 1815 1817

Antoine-Jean Gros painted "Departure of Louis XVIII from the Palace of the Tuileries on the Night of 20 March 1815" during a period of massive political upheaval in France. It captures the tense atmosphere of the King’s hasty exit as Napoleon returns from exile. The painting, shrouded in darkness, mirrors the uncertainty and fear felt by the royalists at this moment. Louis XVIII is depicted almost reluctantly being ushered away, surrounded by loyalists, their faces a mixture of concern and determination. Gros masterfully uses light to highlight the central figures, drawing our eye to the emotional core of the scene: the crumbling power of the monarchy. This work reflects the anxieties around legitimacy and power in a post-revolutionary France and explores themes of loyalty, leadership, and the instability of political structures. It reminds us of the human drama behind historical events.