Getty Museum

The Death of Brunhilde, Queen of France

Date

about 1413–1415

Medium

Tempera colors, gold leaf, gold paint, and ink

Culture

French

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

With his sword in hand, Clotaire III, king of France, passively watches the punishment of his mother Brunhilde for her crimes of adultery and murder. Falsely accused by her enemies, she was tried, publicly humiliated, and sentenced to this horrible death without any intervention from her son. The Boucicaut Master depicted a horseman dragging Brunhilde, whose hair was tied to his horse's tail. The queen was later drawn and quartered, with horses tied to her hair, one foot, and one hand pulling her apart. In a twist of fate, the executioners, who had once honored Brunhilde as queen, washed their hands on her robes.

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