Royal tapestries: a never-before-seen commission revealed at the Grand Palais
16 monumental tapestries, imagined by Danish artists and woven in France, are exceptionally reunited in Paris before reaching their final destination: Koldinghus Castle in Denmark. This unique royal commission is currently on display in the heart of the monument.
An exceptional commission
It all began in 2018 with a donation from the New Carlsberg Foundation, to mark the 750th anniversary of the Royal Castle of Koldinghus, Denmark. To celebrate this anniversary, the Foundation is initiating a major artistic commission: a set of 16 tapestries intended to adorn the rooms of this iconic Jutland landmark, now a museum. The idea? Revive the art of tapestry by bringing together contemporary Danish artists and the most great French ateliers. An audacious gamble, and a fine tribute to the dialogue between heritage and creation.
Danish artists, French workshops
To carry out this project, the New Carlsberg Foundation called on four contemporary Danish artists: Kirstine Roepstorff, Bjørn Nørgaard, Tal R and Alexander Tovborg. Under the artistic direction of Bjørn Nørgaard, each imagined a visual story inspired by the history and identity of Koldinghus Castle, in the manner of the great medieval tapestries. The result is seize "cartons", the full-scale drawings that serve as models for the weaving.
But to bring these works to life on canvas, you need more than inspiration: you need thread, patience... and skilled hands. That's where the expert craftsmen of the Manufactures nationales de Beauvais and des Gobelins come in, as well as the ateliers d'Aubusson, whose tapestry know-how has been recognized and listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco since 2009.
A showcase of living textile art
The tapestries are gigantic, colorful, narrative. They speak of ruins and reconstruction, royal power, borders and history. In short, they tell the story of the past while being resolutely anchored in the present. All this, with a technicality that compels admiration: behind every centimeter of wool, there are hundreds of hours of work, a constant dialogue between artist and craftsman. Before taking their place in the halls of Koldinghus Castle in 2028, these works are making a stopover at the Grand Palais. A unique opportunity to see them in Paris and discover the excellence of French craftsmanship!
Bâtiment, 2004. Digital print on linoleum, lights, iron, wood, and mirror Le Centquatre, Paris, 2011
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