Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Antiquity at Versailles

Andiron from Marie-Antoinette's bedchamber
There is a new exhibition at Versailles about how the art of ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt influenced the decor of the palace and gardens.
A world dominated by the figure of Apollo and designed for the Sun King, the Palace of Versailles is packed with references to Greek and Roman Antiquity and mythology.

From the collections of antique pieces amassed by the kings to the outstanding decorative work featuring the gods and heroes of the Pantheon, this exhibition explores all the relations between Versailles and Antiquity.
For the first time since the Revolution, the Diana of Versailles, the Venus of Arles, the Cincinnatus and some of the most prestigious antiques of the Louvre museum return to Versailles.

Also for the first time, sets of works hitherto scattered around different institutions are brought together again and works invisible to the public for decades are once again on view.

The exhibition design by the theatre and ballet director Pier Luigi Pizzi creates surprises and exciting effects in its original display of the works. The exhibition thus gives us a graphic reminder of the atmosphere that reigned during the monarchical period in the Palace of Versailles, a theatre dedicated to the royal glory whose aesthetic themes were dominated by permanent references to the world of Antiquity.

Practical information

Exhibition from 13 November 2012 to 17 March 2013
Africa and Crimea rooms
Admission included in the Palace and Passport tickets (Read entire post.)

Share

No comments: