Artwork
The Coronation of Inês de Castro in 1361
The Coronation of Inês de Castro in 1361 is an oil painting by the French Romanticist artist Pierre Charles Comte. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon.
About this work
This painting is called The Coronation of Inês de Castro in 1361. It's a history painting made with oil paint.
The painting was first shown at the Paris Salon in 1849. It has been held at the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon since 1885, which suggests it's a notable work.
You can learn more about the artist who created this painting, Pierre Charles Comte.
Overview
Pierre‑Charles Comte’s oil on canvas, titled The Coronation of Inês de Castro in 1361, was completed around 1849. The work belongs to the 19th‑century French tradition of history painting and depicts the legendary Portuguese queen’s coronation, a subject that fascinated several contemporaries.
Subject & Meaning
The composition dramatizes the moment when Inês de Castro, posthumously recognized as queen, is crowned in 1361, a narrative drawn from Portuguese medieval legend. The scene reflects themes of love, political intrigue, and the retroactive legitimation of a royal consort.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting employs the academic chiaroscuro and detailed figuration typical of mid‑century French academism. Comte’s handling of drapery and facial expressions conveys a formal ceremony while retaining a narrative clarity prized by Salon juries.
History & Provenance
First presented to the public at the Paris Salon of 1849, the work marked Comte’s second Salon entry. In 1885 it entered the collection of the Musée des Beaux‑Arts de Lyon, where it has remained on display.
Context
The coronation theme resonated with a wave of Romantic interest in tragic historical figures. Earlier French artists such as Auguste de Forbin (1812), Gillot Saint‑Evre (1827), Eugénie Servières (1824) and August Marquet (1839) also rendered episodes from Inês de Castro’s life, indicating a sustained fascination with the legend.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pierre-Charles Comte (23 April 1823 – 30 November 1895) was a French painter. He was born in Lyon and died in Fontainebleau. His works include The Oath of Henri de Guise and The Coronation of Inês de Castro in…
Thomas More, Lord High Chancellor of England
Catherine Jagiellon with her son Sigismund imprisoned in the Gripshom Castle (sketch)
Courtyard of a temple
Offering to the fatherland by the Widow of Jacob van Artevelde
The Petition to the Doge
Alboin   and  Rosamunde
Queen of Sheba before Solomon
Esther before Ahasuerus
A Celebration
Esther before Ahasuerus (Esther 2:16)