From April 10 to July 4, 2022, the Château de Fontainebleau revives the sumptuous king parties to the Valois court.

The sumptuous king parties

The Château de Fontainebleau revives for a few weeks these sumptuous celebrations given to the court of the Valois, from the reign of François Ier to that of Henri III. A hundred works, from the greatest international museums, such as the Uffizi Gallery – Palazzo Pitti in Florence and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, allow us to understand the course of these festivities and to capture all the brilliance. . Exceptional works presented at the Château de Fontainebleau In the 16th century, the Château de Fontainebleau was an essential place for celebrations. Processions and masquerades in the Oval courtyard, chivalrous jousting on the pond, rustic banquets and theatrical performances in the castle park made a deep impression.

King parties : The art of celebrations

It is once again opening up to the party with this exhibition which brings together an exceptional collection of tapestries, works of art, drawings and paintings from the most prestigious national and international collections. The exceptional collaboration of the Florentine institutions in this exhibition makes it possible to present for the first time at the castle two of the pieces of the famous « Tenture des Fêtes des Valois », a dazzling testimony to the splendor of court feasts. The French festivals of the 16th century also influenced festive practices in England, Spain, Florence and even Scotland after the return of Mary Stuart. The greatest European institutions, including the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the National Museum in Stockholm and the British Museum in London, preserve precious examples or memories of the art of celebration at the French court: table naves, diplomatic gifts or even stage decorations. Finally, the castle presents three designs of masquerade costumes, executed by Leonardo da Vinci during his stay in France, from the British Royal Collections. The exhibition is accompanied by a rich cultural program. Guided tours, concerts, dance demonstrations are offered to immerse you in the experience of the Renaissance celebrations.

Study days, organized in collaboration with the Louvre Museum and the Renaissance Museum at the Château d’Ecouen, finally make it possible to deepen certain aspects of the subject and bring together in Fontainebleau the most important specialists of the period.

Fontainebleau castle

General de Gaulle Square

77300 Fontainebleau

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