print
- Museum number
- 1988,1210.2
- Title
- Object: Hélas voyez
- Description
-
Madame Royale, as the figure of Innocence, is seated next to a large tomb, with a shield bearing the escutecheons of the Allied Powers by her arm and a lamb lying at her feet; she despairingly pulls back a heavy curtain to reveal three urns, representing King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Madame Elizabeth and lettered with the dates of their respective executions; published state. 1794
Hand-coloured mezzotint with etching
- Production date
- 1794
- Dimensions
-
Height: 492 millimetres
-
Width: 335 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Text by David Bindman)
The Princess Elizabeth was the younger sister of Louis XVI, and was kept with the rest of the royal family in the Temple. She was particularly close to the emigrant Comte d'Artois, and this was the ostensible reason behind her execution on 10 May 1794. She is seen raising the curtain on urns containing the ashes of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette; her own urn is set discreetly behind them. This print is a typical émigré production, and is dedicated to Charles IV of Spain by 'two Emigrant French Gentlemen'.
In the Molteno sale, 14 April 1819, lot 241, the copperplate was sold together with 'Lewis XVII and his Sister ... throwing themselves into the Arms of Hope' as 'a pair', sold to Wilkes for nine pounds, '4 pairs and 15 proofs with 8 etchings of the first'[Lewis XVII]. This plate, also by Bartolozzi, has an inscription starting 'Il ne leur reste, que l'esperance' [V&C 563].
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1989 May-Sep, BM, Shadow of the Guillotine: Britain and French Revolution, cat.140
1990 Jan-Mar, Manchester, Whitworth AG, Britain and French Revolution
1990 Jun-Sep, Vizille, Mus/Rev Francaise, Britain and French Revolution
2022-23 6 Sept-22 Jan, London, BM, G90a '2 million prints: online for all'
- Associated events
- Associated Event: French Revolution 1789-1799
- Acquisition date
- 1988
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1988,1210.2
