What is it about?
Charles Le Brun's iconic drawing of the Marquise de Brinvilliers on the way to her execution in July, 1676 portrays her as a terrified, downtrodden creature, but the stories behind the portrait paint a very different picture of the woman whose crimes triggered the infamous Affair of the Poisons that infiltrated the court of Versailles and threatened to bring down the monarchy of Louis XIV. This article tells those stories.
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Photo by Josh Arras on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The story of the Marquise de Brinvilliers is not only an account of the most sensational criminal trial and execution in 17th century France; it is also a window into the hidden network of fortune-tellers, alchemists, and sorcerers that almost brought down the monarchy of the Sun King, Louis XIV.
Perspectives
Researching and writing this book article was like looking for clues in a fascinating and incredibly complex detective story.
Susan Small
King's University College
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Portraits of a Poisoner: Interpreting the End of the Marquise de Brinvilliers, November 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004742598_014.
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