Are you planning a visit to the Grand Palace of Versailles? You might be wrong if you think it is just about the halls and gardens!
The palace also offers fascinating exhibitions, shows and events that reveal more about Versailles’s history and culture.
These temporary displays showcase everything from the grandeur of the French court to the role of horses in European civilization.
These are held in different places like Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and other exhibition halls etc.
This article will tell you everything about the Palace of Versailles exhibitions, including their location, timings, how to access them and more.
Ongoing Exhibitions at the Palace of Versailles
Some of the ongoing exhibitions at the Palace of Versailles are:
1. Eva Jospin – Versailles
Date: 18 June 2024 to 29 September 2024
Location: Palace’s Orangery
Timing: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 6.30 pm (last admission at 6 pm)
Closed on: 21 June afternoon, 22 June, 28 June, 2 July and 2 August.
How to access: The exhibition can only be accessed with the Palace of Versailles tickets, even if you are entitled to free entry.
Entrance: Through the Versailles Gardens
From 18 June to 29 September 2024, the Palace of Versailles is hosting an exhibition by artist Eva Jospin featuring her creation “Chambre de soie” (Silk Room) in the Palace’s Orangery.
This exhibition will showcase Jospin’s monumental embroidered artwork, which spans 107 meters long and covers over 350 square meters.
“Chambre de soie” consists of over 350 square meters of intricate embroidery, blending Jospin’s favorite themes of nature, strolling, and architectural follies.
This artwork was created by the skilled craftsmen and women of the Chanakya studio and Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai under Jospin’s direction.
It will be displayed linearly, allowing visitors to appreciate its beauty.
Besides this, Especially for this exhibition, Jospin will add a new embroidered panel inspired by the groves of the Versailles gardens, specifically Labyrinth Grove and Enceladus Grove.
This addition will also enhance the connection between the artwork and the historical landscape of Versailles.
About Eva Jospin
Born in 1975, Eva Jospin graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
She has dedicated the past fifteen years to creating forested and architectural landscapes in various media.
Jospin won the Prix de l’Académie des Beaux-Arts in 2015 and was an artist-in-residence at the Villa Medici in Rome in 2017.
She has exhibited extensively across Europe and America, with her current exhibition “Palazzo” at the Palais des Papes in Avignon.
Since May 2023, she has been represented by the Galleria Continua.
2. Horse in Majesty – at the heart of a civilization
Location: Various areas within the Palace of Versailles, including the Africa Rooms, the King’s State Apartment, the Hall of Mirrors, the War and Peace Rooms, Madame Maintenon’s Apartment, and the Dauphine’s Apartment.
Date: 2 July 2024 to 3 November 2024
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday, From 9 am to 6.30 pm. Last Admission: 6 pm
Late Openings till 10.30 pm: 16 July, 20 August, 17 September and 15 October 2024
How to access: The exhibition can only be accessed with the Palace of Versailles tickets, even if you are entitled to free entry.
The Palace of Versailles will host the exhibition “Horse in Majesty—At the Heart of a Civilisation” from July 2 to November 3, 2024.
This exhibition features nearly 300 works that showcase the roles and uses of horses in society from the sixteenth to the twentieth century.
It ends on the eve of the First World War, which marked the decline of horse-drawn civilization.
Key Sections of the Horse Exhibition are:
Horses and Kings
This section explores the relationship between horses and European royalty.
It displays portraits of royal horses, including those from Charles XI of Sweden’s collection and Queen Victoria’s Arabian horses.
Royal Stables: Palaces for Horses
Highlights the grandeur of royal stables from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and their role in representing power.
The Royal Stables at Versailles was a center for teaching traditional French horsemanship.
The Horse, King of War
It shows the role of horses in warfare, depicting the intense and often deadly bond between horses and their riders in battle, illustrated by cavalry scenes.
Festive Horses: The Equestrian Spectacular
It showcases the role of horses in court festivals, featuring ceremonial lances, shields, quivers, and large gouaches of Swedish carousels.
Horses and Luxury: Treasures from the Stables
It displays luxurious horse ornaments and a complete set of equestrian parade armor in the Hercules Room, reflecting the opulence associated with horses.
Horses and Science
It focuses on the intersection of art and science through anatomical studies of horses.
It includes early drawings by artists like Leonardo da Vinci, presented in collaboration with New York’s Metropolitan Museum and the English Royal Collections.
Horses as Models
This exhibition features masterpieces depicting horses, showcasing their impact on artists and their role as a source of inspiration in late-nineteenth-century art.
From One Civilisation to Another
It concludes the transformation of society with the advent of railways and automobiles, marking the end of the era dominated by horses.
Do you know that the Palace of Versailles hosts fountain shows for visitors during the High Tourist Season from March to October?
Check out more about Versailles Fountain Shows here!
Upcoming Events at the Palace of Versailles
Besides these exhibitions, there are some upcoming events to be hosted in the Opera House at the Palace of Versailles:
Purcell: The Fairy Queen
Date: 27 June 2024
Type: Operas Staged Version
A fresh production of Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen” emphasizes youthfulness and inventiveness.
The opera is set in an enchanted forest and offers a perfect mixture of reality and dreams.
It follows the intersecting paths and love stories of young Athenians, woodland fairies, and a troupe of actors.
Vivaldi: Gloria e Imeneo
Dates: 29 June 2024 and 30 June 2024
Type: Operas in Concert Version
Counter-tenors Théo Imart and Nicolò Balducci, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Opéra Royal and conducted by violin virtuoso Stefan Plewniak, perform Vivaldi’s “Gloria e Imeneo.”
It will be directed by Nicolas Briançon. This concert will come to life amid the Théâtre de la Reine period sets.
Colin de Blamont: Les Fêtes Grecques et Romaines
Date: 4 July 2024
Type: Operas in Concert Version
Valentin Tournet conducts the Chapelle Harmonique in a rediscovery of Colin de Blamont’s “Les Fêtes Grecques et Romaines.”
This performance will be set against the backdrop of the Paris Olympic Games and showcase Blamont’s unique style.
For more details about Palace of Versailles events, exhibitions and shows, visit the Palace of Versailles official website or refer to the visitor information section.
Contents
FAQs
1. What types of exhibitions and events are held at the Palace of Versailles?
The Palace of Versailles hosts various exhibitions and events, including operas, concerts, and art exhibitions.
These events cover themes from historical and cultural showcases to musical and theatrical performances.
2. Where are the exhibitions and events held within the Palace of Versailles?
Exhibitions and events occur in several key areas of the Palace, including the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, the Orangery, the King’s State Apartment, the Hall of Mirrors, and various other exhibition halls.
3. When can I visit the exhibitions and events at the Palace of Versailles?
The exhibitions and events have specific dates and timings. For instance, Eva Jospin’s exhibition runs from 18 June 2024 to 29 September 2024.
Each event’s specific dates and times are on the Palace of Versailles’s official website.
4. How do I access the exhibitions and events at the Palace of Versailles?
All exhibitions and events at the Palace of Versailles require a Palace ticket for entry, even if you are entitled to free entry.
So, make sure to book your Versailles tickets online in advance and check if there are any special access requirements.
5. What are three exhibitions currently at Versailles?
Currently, in 2024, there are two exhibitions by Eva Jospin, which run from 18 June 2024 to 29 September 2024, and “Horse in Majesty – At the Heart of a Civilisation,” which runs from 2 July 2024 to 3 November 2024.
6. How do I find more information about these exhibitions and events?
For more details, including exact dates, timings, ticket information, and specific event highlights, visit the Palace of Versailles official website or refer to its visitor information section.
7. What events happened at the Palace of Versailles?
The Palace of Versailles has been the site of numerous significant historical events.
One of the most popular is the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed in the Hall of Mirrors on June 28, 1919, officially ending World War I.
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