This 19th-century narrative painting depicts an imagined interior scene associated with the persecution of Voltaire, one of the central figures of the Enlightenment. The philosopher is shown seated in an armchair, portrayed with the familiar features of his later life, while uniformed officials search his room, opening chests and examining books and manuscripts scattered across the floor. A visible document inscribed “Voltaire 1732” anchors the scene to a crucial turning point in Voltaire’s intellectual career, shortly before the publication of his writings inspired by English political and religious thought. Rather than illustrating a single documented event, the painting employs deliberate historical condensation: the aged likeness of Voltaire symbolizes his enduring legacy, while the search of his papers evokes censorship, surveillance, and the repression of free thought. Executed in the tradition of 19th-century historical and literary genre painting, the work combines dramatic staging with rich interior detail. The composition emphasizes the tension between intellectual authority and state power, presenting Voltaire as a moral and philosophical symbol rather than a literal portrait at a specific moment in time. The painting stands as a visual meditation on Enlightenment ideals and their cost, reflecting the 19th century’s fascination with the lives and struggles of great thinkers.