Painter, engraver, theater decorator: Claude Gillot was a renowned artist in the 17th century. Largely unknown today, the Musée du Louvre is keen to restore the reputation of this draughtsman, renowned for his originality and his humorous, sometimes risqué works...
From November 9, 2023 to February 26, 2024, Claude Gillot will be featured in an eponymous exhibition in the Paris museum's Salle de l'Horloge. The exhibition features numerous illustrations, engravings and drawings from the Grand Siècle.
The lucky few who have been able to see this exhibition are few and far between... On Saturday November 11, 2023, water leaks were discovered in the Salle de l'Horloge. To ensure the safety of both works and visitors, the Louvre had to close the exhibition for good.
" Some works were removed very quickly and placed in reserve to ensure their safety. No works were damaged. However, climatic stability is no longer guaranteed for the time being in these spaces, making it impossible for these two rooms to function properly ", explains the museum.
Satire, spectacle vivant, bawdy parodies, improvisations, scenes of witchcraft: Claude Gillot played with his audience and the mores of the time, when speech was subject to the control of royalty and the Church. Despite these restrictions, Gillot asserted a resolutely comic and mocking style, scratching out a little more freedom with each drawing. He was renowned for his modernity, which was evident in his choice of subjects: satyrs, the New Testament, commedia dell'arte... He brought new life to the art world, resolutely siding with modern artists in the face of the traditionalists.
A highly prolific artist, Claude Gillot left a large collection of fascinating drawings: we learn more about the histories of the time, standards, major figures, fashions, the artistic news of the moment... But Claude Gillot is also admired for his know-how and his own universe.
Passionate about theater, and more specifically commedia dell'arte, he created numerous sets, immortalized theater scenes and actors in their costumes...
Claude Gillot brings the same energy and talent to his satires as he does to his religious and fairground drawings. His works are full of poetry, humor and joy... He excels in the art of telling an entire story on a single, fixed canvas. The artist also likes to create series, which offer him a unique pictorial narrative format.
Come and (re)discover this unique artist with the Musée du Louvre exhibition.
Location
Louvre Museum
musée du louvre
75001 Paris 1
Access
Metro Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre
Prices
Moins de 26 ans: Free
Musée + exposition: €17
Official website
www.louvre.fr
