The Death of Pope Boniface VIII

This painting depicts the death of Pope Boniface VIII in 1303, shortly after the Outrage of Anagni. Physically and mentally weakened by the event, he died amid a major crisis between the papacy and the Kingdom of France. His pontificate, marked by the defense of the supremacy of spiritual power, ended in failure against Philip IV the Fair. This scene symbolizes the decline of papal authority and the growing assertion of European monarchies.