La Fabrique de la Galerie Farnèse: the exhibition that reproduces a masterpiece at the Musée du Louvre

In the heart of the Farnese Palace, seat of the French Embassy in Italy, a setting has become, since the early 1600s, the Sistine Chapel of the 17th century: the Farnese Gallery. Painted by Annibale Carracci, his brother Agostino, and their students, the fresco hidden within is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Western painting. It served as a model for numerous decorations throughout Europe for almost three hundred years.

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From November 5, 2025, to February 2, 2026, the Louvre Museum is setting out to recreate it within its walls. Through this exceptionalexhibition, the museum is undertaking to relocate it, in a manner of speaking, by reassembling it "like a puzzle," using the most extraordinary collection of preparatory drawings ever assembled to reconstruct the beauty of its frescoes in an immersive setting.

It traces the history of a European fascination by presenting, for the first time, the recently restored remains of a replica of the Farnese Gallery, commissioned by Louis XIV for the Tuileries Palace, which no longer exists. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the Carracci, the group of artists who created the fresco alongside its principal architect, Annibale, whose work made them famous.

This exhibition allows visitorsto admire the decoration of the vaulted ceiling on the theme of the Loves of the Gods, with each scene based largely on Ovid's Metamorphoses. Visitors can also discover the Camerino, a small room entrusted to Annibale Carracci as a trial when he arrived at the palace. Divided into two parts, the exhibition attempts to immerse visitors in these impressive galleries.

Don't expect a display as large and detailed as the real thing, but there is still a beautiful setting that allows youto observe the details and understand them better, juggling between the drawings on the walls and their reproduction on the ceiling, in color, which shows a small part of this masterpiece. Visitors navigate through the history of art and that of the Caracci family, discovering their inspirations as they worked for a young patron, Odoardo Farnese.

While the Farnese Gallery is undeniably a masterpiece, we also learn of the sacrifice it demanded of its creators, who worked themselves to exhaustion—a tragedy hidden behind the wonder that the work brings us. The two brothers, Annibale and Agostino, fell out while creating it, with the former even losing his creativity as he poured his soul into the process and died prematurely.

For younger visitors, who may quickly tire of looking at drawings, the museum has set up special labels to make the visit more fun, inviting them to find hidden details in the ceiling paintings. This will keep them busy while you admire the exhibition at your own pace!

Of course, those hoping for a monumental setting may be disappointed, but lovers of Italian painting, classical masterpieces, mythology, and symbolism should find something to enjoy here, as well as an incredible opportunity to observe the creative process behind such a magnificent work.