2-888-380 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Funeral of Louis-Philippe: the "Chapelle Ardente", at Claremont, 1850. The body of former French king Louis Philippe I lies in state at Claremont, his home in Surrey. 'Soon after Louis Philippe became the occupant of Claremont, a temporary chapel was formed for celebrating the services of the Roman Catholic church...In the centre of the chapel a platform was raised, ascended by two steps, each about half a foot in height, upon which was placed, on trestles, the coffin containing the body of the ex-King. The coffin was surrounded by twenty-four lighted wax tapers, and was covered by a black velvet pall, fringed with silver, and in the centre of which a cross, extending the length of the coffin, was worked in silver. The walls of the chapel were hung with black cloth, and the external light was carefully excluded'. From "Illustrated London News", 1850.