Henri IV at the Battle of Ivry

This painting, executed around 1624-1626 by **Peter Paul Rubens** in collaboration with battle painter **Pieter Snayers**, depicts **Henri IV** in the thick of the fighting at the **Battle of Ivry**, fought on 14 March 1590 against the forces of the Duke of Mayenne reinforced by Spanish contingents. The king is shown sword in hand, wearing the white plume associated with the phrase attributed to him — "Rally to my white plume" — meant to serve as a rallying point for his troops amid the battle. Painted nearly thirty-five years after the events, commissioned for the gallery of the Luxembourg Palace, this work helped durably fix the chivalrous, martial image of the first Bourbon king in collective memory.