1875 Woodcut Alphonse Neuville Horse Le Mans Forest Charles VI Horse Madman XEA6

This is an original 1875 black and white woodcut of an illustration by French artist Alphonse de Neuville which depicts the inflammatory event which sparked King Charles VI's spiral into madness. The monarch and a group of selected Dukes were making a trip to Brittany when a scantily clad old man hopped out from behind a tree in Le Mans forest, yelling "Thus art betrayed!" Now, its worth mentioning that it was an extremely warm day in August, and his royal highness was wearing a tight jacket of dark velvet. Possibly due to heat exhaustion, possibly because his mental state was already deteriorating, Charles VI went into a paranoid frenzy, killing a few of his own men until eventually he was subdued, bound, and carried all the way back home. The trip to Brittany never happened, and Charles VI was never quite the same after that.

CONDITION

This 136+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine. Light aging throughout. No creases. No natural defects.No surface rub.No tears. No water damage. Please note that there is a blind emboss mark in the upper right corner.

• Product Type: Original Woodcut; Black / White
• Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine
• Dimensions: Approximately 5.5 x 8 inches; 14 x 20 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

This image was selected from a collection of woodcuts and steel engravings prolifically depicting scenes from French history, ranging from ancient Gaul to Charlemagne and his wars, to Joan of Arc and Marie Antoinette. Historically important for French archivists, these images are extremely rare to locate and are virtually unseen individually. Period Paper is pleased to present these beautifully preserved images, which would make an ideal addition to any French lover's collection. To view more images from this portfolio, please click on the link offered below the condition paragraph.

This piece was illustrated by De Neuville, Alphonse. Artist signature in print - bottom right of image.

De Neuvile, Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe

Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville (1835 _ 1885) was a French painter who specialized in very patriotic historical scenes with subjects such as the Franco-Prussian War, the Crimean War and the Zulu War. He originally joined the naval school in Lorient, France, but he soon realized that his primary passion was art. After his death, several of his pieces were acquired for the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.

Keywords specific to this image: dramatic, equestrian

XEA6C75 zz4334