Textile Madness. Fashion and Interior Design in the Second Empire

Palais impérial de Compiègne

31 May– 14 October 2013

 

This exhibition will showcase over 150 works, with costumes and furnishing fabrics, as well as paintings, sculptures, watercolours and photographs, all showing the attention paid by artists to the representation of textiles. Visitors will be able to discover the fascinating collection of costumes associated with the Empress Eugénie and Princess Mathilde, the cousin of Napoléon III, which are rarely on show in the Palais de Compiègne for conservation reasons. Permission has been obtained from the Musée de l'impression sur étoffes de Mulhouse (an exhibition partner), the Musée de la mode et du textile (les Arts décoratifs), Musée Galliera – Musée de la mode de la Ville de Paris, and the Musée des tissus in Lyon for remarkable loans which allow this exhibition to cover the creative textile production of the Second Empire in all its variety and outstanding quality.

 

The exhibition is organized by the Palais impérial de Compiègne, the Musée de l’impression sur étoffes de Mulhouse and the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais.

 

 

Chagall Before the Mirror                                                              

Musée national Marc Chagall, Nice

7 July – 7 October 2013

 

To mark its 40th anniversary, the Musée Marc Chagall is putting on an exhibition devoted entirely to one of the artist’s favourite themes: the self-portrait. As well as reflecting Chagall’s stylistic concerns, it is also about his exploration of personal identity and his role as an artist. His prolific output between 1907 and 1985 covers every genre: self-portraits with easel or palette, or in his studio; contemplative self-portraits; double portraits with Chagall and his wife; self-portraits in animal form. In turn realistic, descriptive or composed in the manner of classical painters, the self-portrait evolves over time into an increasingly stylized representation, the artist’s face offering few individualized traits, yet still recognisable thanks to his curly brown hair.

 

The exhibition is organized by the Musée national Marc Chagall and the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais.

 

 

Georges Braque (1882–1963)   

Grand Palais      

18 September 2013 – 6 January 2014

 

Georges Braque is one of the major artists of the 20th century. A painter, engraver and sculptor, he initially became one of the avant-garde figures of the early 20th century by pioneering Cubism and inventing collage. He later refocused his work on the systematic exploration of technique in still life and landscape series, making him the quintessential French painter, heir to Corot and Chardin and custodian of the Classical tradition. There has been no complete retrospective of the works of Georges Braque in Paris since the major retrospective organized by the Orangerie des Tuileries (1973–1974). This major exhibition in the Grand Palais programme takes a fresh look at the artist’s work and presents his art in the context of the painting, literature and music of his time.

 

The exhibition is organized by the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais and the Pompidou Centre.

 



Félix Vallotton. The Fire Under the Ice

Grand Palais      

2 October 2013 – 20 January 2014

 

This Félix Vallotton retrospective promises to be a special event. It is nearly 50 years since the last large-scale exhibition devoted by a national museum in Paris to the painter and engraver, who was Swiss by birth and French by adoption. The show revisits the work of Vallotton from an original perspective. It focuses on ten threads with evocative titles, ranging from the artist’s aesthetic, social and political motivations to the complex personality of the man. The aim of this wide-ranging study is to highlight the painter’s stubborn progress towards the creation of a personal and modern expressive style which also drew on the secular tradition in art. The exhibition brings together Vallotton’s most famous masterpieces, as well as paintings rarely – if ever – shown before. 

 

The exhibition is organized by the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais and the Musée d’Orsay.

 

 

The Renaissance and Dreams: from Bosch to Veronese

Grand Palais      

9 October 2013 – 26 January 2014

 

The theme of dreams has played a major role in Western culture, in particular during the Renaissance, which attributed unprecedented significance to the imagination. Thus it has been a true source of inspiration for artists. The exhibition in the Musée du Luxembourg is the first to deal with this subject. It helps us to understand how the representation of dreams was a characteristic of the Renaissance, and brings together the great names of the age, such as Veronese, Lorenzo Lotto and Bosch. On display is a selection of some of the key paintings, sculptures and drawings.

 

The exhibition is organized by the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais and the Superintendent’s Office of the Polo Museale of Florence.

 

 

L’hôtel de la rue de la Victoire

Musée national du château de Malmaison

Autumn 2013

 

This exhibition traces the history of the house, which was built between 1776 and 1778 and was to become the favourite residence of Empress Joséphine. It was in this elegant setting that Joséphine, then known as Marie-Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, first met Bonaparte. He spent every evening with her until their wedding on 9 March 1796.

After Bonaparte left for Italy, Joséphine remodelled her little Parisian house in the contemporary style, completely refurbishing and decorating it with new furniture designed by Charles Percier and commissioned from the Jacob brothers.

 

The Château de Malmaison has a unique collection of furniture and objects originating from the house, notably a remarkable frieze on a mythological subject which adorned the walls of the salon. They are presented in the exhibition alongside prestigious loans from the chateaus of Versailles and Fontainebleau. These major items are surrounded by paintings and drawings illustrating the original, high-quality decoration of the house. 

 

The exhibition is organized by the Château de Malmaison and the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais

 

 

Music of the Renaissance: from François I to Henri IV

Musée national de la Renaissance, Château d’Ecouen

Autumn 2013

 

Music is central to Renaissance civilization. Whether sacred or secular, featuring as part of public ceremonies or in private, it gave rhythm to people’s lives. From the end of the 15th century, it was to experience major changes: the growth of instrumental playing, the professionalization of musicians in courts all over Europe, and of course the increased distribution of works as a result of printed editions.

Great composers emerged, with songs by Josquin des Prés, motets by Palestrina or Thomas Tallis, and even the origins of opera with Monteverdi. Music went beyond mere entertainment, becoming an integral part of the life of princes that affected the way they ruled.

 

This exhibition demonstrates the key role of both vocal and instrumental music in the Renaissance. It allows us to discover its repertoires and audiences, as well as the means by which it was performed (music stands, scores, instruments etc.) and the social, symbolic and political role it played.

 

The exhibition is organized by the Musée national de la Renaissance, the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais, and the Château de Pau.

 

 

Raymond Depardon

Grand Palais      

14 November 2013 – 15 February 2014

 

The Grand Palais is hosting the first retrospective of the photographer and film director who gave photojournalism its place in art history. The exhibition gives the public an opportunity to discover previously unseen colour photos (past and present) and new perspectives on themes close to the artist’s heart: vast spaces and the loneliness of cities. The journey reflects Depardon’s personal vision in locations which, though very different, share a very soft colour palette. 

 

The exhibition is organized by the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais in collaboration with Magnum Photos.

 

 

Cartier: Style and History                                                                       

Grand Palais      

4 December 2013 – 16 February 2014

 

Too little is known even now about the rich and complex history of the great house of jewellery, perhaps because it has been eclipsed by the famous name and sparkle of its diamonds. Yet Cartier has played a key role in the history of the decorative arts. His creations – from the classicism of the “jeweller to kings” to the radical inventions of style moderne, ranging from the geometric to the exotic – are a fascinating testament to the evolution of taste and social codes. Through jewellery, watchmaking and objects that are both practical and sophisticated in equal measure, Cartier has captivated the most elegant public figures of the 20th century.   

 

The exhibition is organized by the Réunion des musées nationaux– Grand Palais.