The Exorcism of Charles VI’s Madness

This painting by François-Auguste Biard, titled “The Exorcism of Charles VI’s Madness,” depicts an attempt at spiritual healing for King Charles VI, who suffered from episodes of madness beginning in 1392. The sovereign appears in a tormented posture, surrounded by clerics, court figures, and an anxious queen, in a dark and dramatic atmosphere. The scene emphasizes fear, medical helplessness, and the religious interpretation of mental illness in the late Middle Ages. It also evokes the political consequences of the king’s illness, which deeply weakened the kingdom of France.