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Murder of King Henry IV of France and the Execution of Francois Ravaillac

Claes Jansz Visscher

1610

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Allegory

Dominant colour

Murder of King Henry IV of France and the Execution of Francois Ravaillac is a 1610 ink by Claes Jansz Visscher, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Claes Jansz Visscher
When & what style?: 1610 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image is packed with tiny, busy scenes. At the center, a man lies on the ground while others point and react. Around him, four round portraits of serious-looking men float in circles. The edges are crowded with strange symbols, buildings, and people in old clothes. Everything is black and white, with lots of sharp lines. The text around the portraits names real people—some were kings, others looked like advisors. The messy layout and heavy details show this wasn’t just a simple story. It’s more like a warning or a lesson dressed up in fancy clothes. Want to see how artists used this style? Check out etching.