Imperial silks for Versailles, an exhibition by the Mobilier national at the Château de Versailles

While the Château de Versailles is closely linked to the Sun King in French history, he's not the only crowned head to have left his mark on the grounds. Napoleon Bonaparte, who became Emperor of the French in 1804, wanted to turn Versailles back into a place of power after the Revolution. From March 19 to June 23, 2024, the Grand Trianon is hosting an exhibition in partnership with the Mobilier national, exploring this restoration work at the Château de Versailles, notably through an exceptional order for 120 silks!

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On this occasion, Napoleon 1st granted a special fund of 6 million francs, part of which went to Lyon's silk factories, for almost 80 kilometers of fabric. Then in difficulty, the factories were helped by this impressive order, placed between 1811 and 1813. Delivered to the imperial furniture repository, these costly silks were never used after the fall of the Empire, and are still perfectly preserved today.

During this exhibition, discover not only the manufacturing techniques and know-how of Lyonnais silks, but also the historical and economic context of this textile order, thanks to original samples, archive documents and machines illustrating advances in the field, including a Jacquard-mechanical weaving machine.

It's also an opportunity to talk architecture, since Napoleon envisaged numerous designs based on this fabric, with its sometimes original colors and patterns. Exceptionally, a visit to the Emperor's apartment at the Grand Trianon is included in the tour, for the duration of the exhibition.

A visit to the Château de Versailles and its program
The Château de Versailles, its gardens and grounds, are a world heritage site. The official residence of the kings of France, the Château de Versailles holds the record as the largest château in the world, and of course the most visited in France. [Read more]