Oath of the Tennis Court at Versailles June 20, 1789

Currently not on view

Oath of the Tennis Court at Versailles June 20, 1789

1791

Pierre-Gabriel Berthault (French, 1737–1831) After a drawing of 1789 by Jean-Louis Prieur (French, 1759–1795)

This print is from the Complete Collection of Historical Pictures of the French Revolution, which was published in 1802 as a three-volume set. It portrays events on June 20, 1789, when representatives of the French National Assembly - a newly formed group - found themselves locked out of the hall where they had arranged to meet. They mistakenly concluded that the king, Louis XVI, was responsible. Undaunted, the delegates congregated in a nearby tennis court, swearing not to disperse until a national constitution for France had been established.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Titles:

Oath of the Tennis Court at Versailles June 20, 1789
Serment du Jeu de Paume à Versailles le 20 Juin 1789, Plate 1 from Collection complète de tableaux historiques de la Révolution française (Complete Collection of Historical Pictures of the French Revolution), Paris, 1791

Date:

1791

Artists:

Pierre-Gabriel Berthault (French, 1737–1831) After a drawing of 1789 by Jean-Louis Prieur (French, 1759–1795)

Medium:

Etching

Dimensions:

Image: 7 1/16 × 9 3/16 inches (18 × 23.4 cm) Plate: 9 9/16 × 11 5/8 inches (24.3 × 29.5 cm) Sheet: 13 × 15 15/16 inches (33 × 40.5 cm)

Classification:

Prints

Credit Line:

Gift of Dean Walker, 1999

Accession Number:

1999-169-1

Geography:

Made in France, Europe

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.

Currently not on view