The exhibition “China at Versailles, Art and Diplomacy in the 18th Century”  is presented in the Apartments of Madame de Maintenon and the King’s Guard Room at the Palace of Versailles, from 27 May to 26 October 2014.

This exhibition follows the history of political, scientific and artistic exchanges between France and China during the Enlightenment. Paintings, furniture, lacquerware, engravings, porcelains, rare books, tapestries, etc., the masterpieces exhibited at the Palace of Versailles today bear testimony to the refined luxury of their time.

They are an illustration of France’s taste for Chinese artistic productions starting in the reign of Louis XIV. They also reveal the court of Versailles’ interest in the Far East, inspired by descriptions from Jesuits sent to Chinastarting at the end of the 17th century. The one hundred and fifty works included in this exceptional exhibition come from the greatest institutions in France (Musée du Louvre, Musée Guimet, Bibliothèque Nationale, etc.) and abroad (English Royal collections, the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, etc.), as well as private collections.

Authors : Marie-Laure de Rochebrune, Anne-Cécile Sourisseau, Vincent Bastien
Coeditors : Somogy - château de Versailles

ISBN : 9782757208854
Number of pages: 48
Date de publication : 2014
Dimensions: 23 x 29 cm
Languages : french, english