Saturday, February 10, 2007

The Death of Berry

This picture actually goes with the post below, about the murder of the Duc de Berry. He died in the royal box at the old opera house on February 13, 1820, stabbed by a madman as he was helping his expectant wife into the coach. His wife Caroline is shown kneeling with her hair trailing down. The Duchesse d'Angouleme has the yellow shawl; the Duc d'Angouleme, Berry's brother, is prostrate at her side. On the other side of the sofa are the nefarious Louis XVIII (standing) and Berry's father, the Comte d'Artois, kneeling and suddenly very old. Berry, as he lay dying, called upon the Holy Virgin to save France.

Our Lady has certainly done her best to save the country that is the "Eldest daughter of the Church." Beginning in 1830 in Paris she began the series of visits to France, first at the Rue de Bac with the "Miraculous Medal" apparitions. Then came La Salette in 1846, Lourdes in 1858, and Pontmain in 1870, always with messages pleading repentance.

Anyway, I thought that those who read Madame Royale would be interested in seeing the picture. Share

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Je pense que la princesse Caroline etait une jolie blonde.

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, wordsmith, Caroline was blonde. I don't know why her hair looks so black in the painting....

elena maria vidal said...

So true, Georgette. All of these things seem to come together after 1830, and the Age of Mary began.

Anonymous said...

This is fascinating. I have not read [I] Madame Royale [/I] yet but I have read [I] Trianon [/I] and am fascinated with this time period. Thank you for sharing the picture and info, Elena. I'm more eager than ever to read the second book.

elena maria vidal said...

Thanks so much, Cay. It is a fascinating period which really determined how we live now. You will enjoy "Madame Royale." (I think it is better than "Trianon.")

Anonymous said...

Hello! Those terrible dark forces that have clutched the French nation since 1789, have really brought so much pain and blood spilling on the members of the Royal Family. Terrible and endless pain for parents seeing their children die and children seeing their parents die too! Especially the Royal Princes have been the logical object of the worst attacks. Like this one of Duc de Berry, The Miracle Baby!!! But these two brothers of Louis XVI -Louis XVIII and Charles X, were the most troubled as they got the heaviest burden of being witnesses of a long trail of tragical events.

On the comment of Princesse Caroline being blonde and her hair in the painting looks very dark, I believe the painter wanted to project the darkness of the pain she was going through.-

Let us hope someday, soon, the French Nation come to terms with her Christian origin and the moral debt to the Royal Family, especially the martyred ones.

elena maria vidal said...

Hello, Maru!! Thanks for your great insights!Yes, I was wondering, too, if the blackness of Caroline's symbolized her grief!