Massacre de Nesle (1472) 1810 - 1887

Edouard-Alexandre Odier made "Massacre de Nesle" with watercolor and graphite, sometime in the 19th century. The scene depicted goes back to 1472, when the troops of King Charles VI attacked the hotel de Nesle in Paris, killing the Armagnac party supporters trapped inside. Odier presents a chaotic and brutal scene: a woman is desperately reaching out to the horse of a knight looking away with indifference. Bodies lie motionless on the ground. The space and the color palette heighten the atmosphere of dread and despair. Odier created this historical painting in a time of social and political change. France was looking back at its history to define its national identity. This work invites us to reflect on the ways power dynamics play out through violence and oppression, and the artist makes no attempt to hide the terrible gendered aspects of conflict. The woman in the foreground appears as a vulnerable figure, underscoring the trauma inflicted on women during war. This artwork becomes a poignant reminder of the human cost of political conflict, and the emotional toll it takes on individuals and communities.