Tomb of Louis XVI and his family, with hidden silhouettes

Art Historical Context

This poignant engraving, titled *Tomb of Louis XVI and his Family, with Hidden Silhouettes*, captures a somber moment from the French Revolution's turbulent aftermath. Created between 1793 and 1800 by engravers including Jean-Baptiste Genty and Claude Louis Desrais, possibly with anonymous contributions, it depicts the imagined tombs of King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and son Louis XVII. Produced on a modest plate (13¼ × 8¾ in.), the print belongs to a tradition of intaglio engraving, where intricate lines etched into metal plates allowed for detailed, reproducible imagery that spread royalist sentiment underground during a time of republican fervor. The artwork's historical significance lies in its veiled mourning for the executed royals—Louis XVI guillotined in 1793, Marie Antoinette soon after, and young Louis XVII dying in captivity in 1795. Hidden silhouettes, likely evoking skeletons beneath the tombs (as suggested by tags), add a layer of subtle symbolism, blending grief with defiance against revolutionary iconoclasm. Such prints served as clandestine memorials, circulating among sympathizers when public royal imagery was banned. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece exemplifies how engraving democratized art and politics, turning personal loss into cultural resistance. A haunting reminder of revolution's human cost, it invites reflection on power, tragedy, and memory.

About the Artist

Louis XVII|Louis XVI, King of France|Marie Antoinette, Queen of France|Anonymous|Jean-Baptiste Genty|Claude Louis Desrais (French, born Austria|French| ) · 1755 |1785 | –1792 |1795 |

French (born Austria), Vienna 1755–1792 Paris|French, Versailles 1785–1795 Paris|