Wall charts, history and European Identity

The picture shows the Place de la Révolution, today known as Place de la Concorde. On this chart King Louis XVI’s way to his execution by guillotine is depicted. In the center of the picture you can see Louis XVI in a modest linen garment, with bound hands on a carriage. On 11th of December 1792 he was put on the trial before the National Convention. He was sentenced to death because of high treason and crime against the state (la conspiration contre la liberté publique et la sûreté générale de l'État). On the morning of the 21st January 1793 he was guillotined as citizen Louis Capet (referring to Hugo Capet, first ancient of the French ruling dynasty) by hangman Charles-Henri Sanson. Surrounded by the soldiers of the Revolution the depiction of the guillotine in the vanishing point of Louis is oversized. In the foreground of the picture you can only see few citizens, watching the execution. On the left side on of them is waving the tricolor, which first came up during the Revolution and later should become the national flag of France.