Mise en page 1 - Château de Versailles

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Game
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booklet
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China
at Versailles
Art and Diplomacy in the 18th Century
27 May to 26 October 2014
The Astronomers tapestry. Piece from the
first Chinese tapestries of Beauvais.
From the Sciences to the Arts
The “China at Versailles” exhibition tells the story of relations
between China and France in 150 objects, pieces of furniture
and paintings.Louis XIV was particularly interested in the Far East
and sent Jesuits as ambassadors to the court in Beijing. These
exchanges, firstly intellectual and scientific, gave rise to a veritable
Chinese fad at court, which grew under the reign of Louis XV.
To satisfy this new taste, large-scale trade developed and continued
under Louis XVI, right up to the French Revolution.
–2–
e Room A f
Louis
xiv:
the Diplomatic King
The tapestry on the left-hand page tells the
story of the Jesuit priests’ (a Catholic
religious order) visit to astronomers in
Beijing. In the foreground, one of them,
dressed as a Mandarin, leans toward a child
holding a book and a compass. He is the
future Kangxi Emperor who reigned at the
same time as Louis XIV.
In the painting on the right, Louis XIV is
presented as the protector of the arts and
sciences. A globe and measurement tools
show his interest in the great discoveries of his
day. It is through the sciences that the King
came into contact with the Kangxi Emperor.
What elements are found in both pictures?
1
Portrait of Louis XIV, with the
attributes of the arts and
sciences.
All these words evoke China.
Place them in the crossword
puzzle.
P
ASIA
BAMBOO
DRAGON
EMPEROR
MANDARIN
UMBRELL
BIRD
PAGODA
I
B
At the time, this huge porcelain pagoda left such an
impression on people that is was represented in many
works of art evoking China. Look for it in the paintings,
engravings and tapestries in the exhibition.
–3–
e Rooms B to E f
Louis
xv:
the King and the Arts
The model that you will see during your
visit is a faithful reproduction of the boats
used by the French East India Company
to import large amounts of goods,
especially novelties such as silk,
porcelain, lacquer, fans and wallpaper
that they did not yet know how to make
in France. On this subject, did you know
that the port of Lorient was built in 1666
for trade with China and the Far East?
That’s where its name came from…
Wallpaper, porcelain vase and ivory
fan from China.
2
Vases from China and from the Manufacture Royale de Sèvres
were highly appreciated at court, and you will see many of them
in this exhibition. Only one here does not have a double... Find it!
–4–
The taste for China developed under Louis XV. His wife, Marie
Leszczynska, even took part in the production of large Chinese paintings
for her apartments. Henri-Léonard Bertin (whose portrait you will see in
this exhibition), well-known for his great knowledge of China and one of
Louis XV’s ministers, served as an intermediary between the King of
France and the Emperor of China. The portrait of the Qianlong Emperor
that you can see here was made on a porcelain plate that later belonged
to Louis XVI.
Portraits of Louis XV (left)and
the Chinese Emperor,Qianlong
(right).
3
Take a close look at these two
portraits and label each one.
FLEUR DE LYS
HAT
FUR
BELONGED TO
THE QiNG
DYNASTY
KiNG
ARmOUR
POWDERED
HAiR
BELONGED TO
THE BOURBON
FAmiLY
PEARL
mOUSTAcHE
EmPEROR
–5–
cOLLARET
e Rooms F to G f
Louis xvi: the Collector King
The interest for China
continued under Louis XVI,
who kept Bertin on as his
Minister. The King’s taste for
Chinese art can notably be
seen in his private apartments.
Officially, the King had to
support French artisans.
Marie-Antoinette also collected
objects from the Far East in
her Cabinet Doré (Gilded
Study) at Versailles, some of
which came from her mother,
Maria Theresa of Austria.
Portraits of Louis XVI
and Marie-Antoinette.
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7
4
2
45
5
3
47
4
44
52
81
39
37
51
9
These two little lacquered boxes
belonged to Marie-Antoinette.
They did not come from China,
but rather from Japan. Connect
the dots to discover the third
object in the showcase: this
animal is common in Asian art.
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38
36
34
11
10
42
40
33
12
50
13
49
26
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35
30
29
32
28
31
24
14
27
25
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23
16
22
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20
18
Box in the form of a little dog
and a game box mounted
with a reclining man.
–6–
19
43
La Pêche Chinoise. Piece
in the second Chinese
tapestries of Beauvais.
La Pêche Chinoise (Chinese Fishing
Expedition) is a French work
produced by the Manufacture de
Beauvais. This tapestry was woven
based on a drawing by the painter
François Boucher. He had a passion
for Asian decorations and included
many elements that make it seem as
if the scene is taking place in China.
Take a close look and find them.
5
–7–
Two of these details
are not in this tapestry.
Can you tell which ones?
www.parismomes.fr. Design: Maïa Bouteillet and Elodie Coulon. Graphic creation: Elodie Coulon.
Photo Credits - Cover: © C. Milet © RMN Grand Palais (Palace of Versailles) / G. Blot / J.M. Manaï / T. Ollivier – Graphic design: DES SIGNES studio Muchir Desclouds. P. 2: The Astronomers J.B. Monnoyer, J.B. Belin de Fontenay and G.L. Vernansal © Bridgeman Art. P. 3: Portrait of Louis XIV by J.
Garnier: © Palace of Versailles (dist. RMN-Grand Palais) /Christophe Fouin. The Porcelain Tower by J. Nieuhoff © Bibliothèque Municipale de Versailles. P. 4: Wallpaper and fan © Musée de la Compagnie des Indes Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de la Ville de Lorient / Y. Boëlle and G. Broudic.Baluster vase:
© RMN- Grand Palais (Palace of Versailles) / Christophe Fouin. P. 5: Portrait of Louis XV. Atelier de Louis Michel van Loo ©RMN-Grand Palais (Palace of Versailles) / Gérard Blot. Portrait of the Qianlong Emperor by Asselin © RMN- GP (Palace of Versailles) / Jean-Marc Manaï. P. 6: Portrait of Louis
XVI by J.S. Duplessis © Palace of Versailles (dist. RMN-Grand Palais) /Christophe Fouin. Marie Antoinette with a Rose by E.L. Vigée-Lebrun © Palace of Versailles (dist. RMN-Grand Palais)/Jean-Marc Manaï. Boxes © RMN-Grand Palais (Palace of Versailles) / Thierry Ollivier. P. 7: Chinese Fishing
Expedition, woven under the direction of A.C. Charron © Centre des Monuments Nationaux /David Bordes. P. 8: Rectangular platter with Chinese decoration © RMN- Grand Palais (Palace of Versailles) / Christian Jean.
Booklet designed by
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This decoration, taken from a platter with Chinese decoration,
was made by the Manufacture Royale de Porcelaine de Sèvres
in 1775, in the style that was in fashion at Versailles at the
time. There are seven errors in the bottom picture. Can you
find them?