Louis XI Visiting Cardinal La Balue in His Iron Cage

This history painting by **Jean-Léon Gérôme**, dated **1883**, depicts **Louis XI** visiting Cardinal **Jean La Balue**, imprisoned in an iron cage after his downfall. The scene refers to La Balue’s arrest in **1469**, when he was accused of plotting against the king and maintaining ties with **Charles the Bold**. The work draws upon a nineteenth-century historical and legendary tradition that emphasised the dramatic nature of the prelate’s captivity and the harshness of royal justice. It therefore contributes to the construction of a dark and calculating image of Louis XI, a figure often highlighted in French history painting.