Correspondances, an exhibition mixing contemporary art and 18th-century works at the Musée Cognacq-Jay

Contemporary artist Agnès Thurnauer takes up residence at the Musée Cognacq-Jay, engaging in an unprecedented dialogue between 18th-century works and her modern creations. The exhibition Correspondances runs from October 2, 2025 to February 8, 2026.

When Agnès Thurnauer was given carte blanche at the Musée Cognacq-Jay, she used it to highlight the collections and artists of the 18th century, through an unprecedented dialogue between the ancient and the modern.

Thecontemporary artist unveils her Correspondances, an exhibition running from October 2, 2025 to February 8, 2026 at the Musée Cognacq-Jay. Through her sculptures and paintings, Agnès Thurnauer offers us a new vision of these 18th-century works, showing in particular that these paintings, drawings and ancient art objects can still touch us, inspire us, and represent our present-day society, centuries later.

Old and new are at the heart of this exhibition. The contemporary artist has created works that echo the masterpieces of Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Canaletto and François Boucher, taking the example and inspiration of these great masters of the Rococo period.

But above all, Agnès Thurnauer wanted to highlight the women artists of the period: Louise Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Angelica Kauffmann, Adélaïde Labille-Guiard, as well as Madame de Staël and Émilie du Châtelet.

This exhibition pays tribute to those artists, writers and thinkers who succeeded in making their mark in a man's world, gaining recognition for their talent and worth. In this dialogue between generations, Agnès Thurnauer explores the importance of art and writing in the education andemancipation of women. From her modern point of view, the artist questions the works of these 18th-century women and their significance in the history of art.

The dialogue between contemporary works and those of the 18th century has been very well thought out: paintings and sculptures respond to each other, enriching each other in obvious ways. Visitors are invited to rethink the treatment of the female body in art, its staging and the importance of symbols and representations. Female artists are highlighted alongside works that support their achievements.

The Musée Cognacq-Jay invites us to rediscover its permanent collections and its treasures, through an engaging contemporary itinerary.

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