Death of Margaret of Burgundy Strangled in Prison

Art Historical Context

Horace Vernet’s 1820 lithograph *Death of Margaret of Burgundy Strangled in Prison* captures a dramatic moment from medieval French history. The scene depicts the tragic end of Margaret, wife of King Louis X, who was imprisoned following accusations of adultery in the infamous Tour de Nesle affair. Created early in Vernet’s career, the work reflects his interest in vivid historical narratives that appealed to a growing 19th-century audience eager for romanticized views of the past. As a lithograph—the only known state of this print—the work highlights the medium’s revolutionary potential in the early 1800s. Lithography allowed artists like Vernet to produce affordable, detailed images that reached wide audiences beyond traditional painting collectors. The compact sheet, measuring just under 10 inches square, demonstrates the artist’s skill in conveying intense emotion and architectural setting through fine tonal gradations rather than color. Today in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, the print offers viewers a window into both 14th-century legend and 19th-century artistic innovation, reminding us how printmaking helped shape public understanding of history.