The Court of Versailles Arrives at the Met

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Hear, ye, hear ye, New Yorkers! The Château de Versailles and the Metropolitan Museum of Art have joined forces to present an exceptional exhibition: “Visitors of Versailles 1682-1789.” The exhibition will be held at the New York Met from Monday, April 16, to Sunday, July 29.

The palace and gardens of Versailles attract nearly ten million visitors per year. The small hunting lodge built by Louis XIII was transformed by Louis XIV into one of the most beautiful residences in Europe.

The aim of this exhibition is to immerse visitors in the atmosphere of late 17th century Versailles. It brings together nearly 190 works from the Met, the Château de Versailles, and some fifty collectors. You will find paintings, such as portraits of Louis XV by Augustin-Oudart Justina, or of the Countess Du Barry, by Jean-Baptiste André Gautier Dagoty.

In addition, furniture, tapestries, rugs, clothing (the most beautiful French dresses of the time), dishware, and sculptures will be shown. You can view the dress worn by the wife of the industrialist Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf during her meeting with Marie-Antoinette, or admire three parts of the Labyrinth fountain, a grove arranged by Le Notre. Visitors will also be able to discover some objects that belonged to illustrious guests of the court at the end of the 17th and 18th centuries: Thomas Jefferson’s passport signed by Louis XVI as well as a rarely exhibited garment worn by Benjamin Franklin during his first visit to Versailles in 1767.

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