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Charles V visits François Ier after the Battle of Pavia
  • Richard Parkes Bonington (1802 - 1828)
  • Charles V visits François Ier after the Battle of Pavia
  • France
  • c. 1827
  • Painting
  • Watercolour and bodycolour with gum varnish on paper
  • Image size: 13 x 16.5 cm
  • P727
  • Not on display
Commentary
History
Further Reading
  • This watercolour was probably painted in 1827. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1500-58) defeated François Ier of France (1491-1547) at the battle of Pavia in northern Italy on 24 February 1525 (when Charles was twenty-five and not the much older man shown here). François was taken prisoner to Madrid where he fell ill and seemed on the point of death. After many pleas to Charles, Charles agreed to visit him, the first meeting taking place in September 1525. Later François recovered and in January 1526 signed the Treaty of Madrid by which he was forced to make substantial concessions. As early as 1837 the subject of this watercolour was identified as François Ier visiting the dying Leonardo da Vinci, but in 1829 the present title had been given to a reproductive engraving by James Duffield Harding and it has been retained here, although some uncertainty regarding the subject remains.