Rosso and Primaticcio, the exhibition at Beaux-Arts de Paris

Les Beaux-Arts de Paris presents the exhibition "Rosso and Primaticcio: Renaissance at Fontainebleau", from October 22, 2025 to February 1, 2026. This exhibition honors two major Italian artists invited to France by François I, and explores the technical innovation and creative richness of this founding period of Renaissance art in France.

What if the art of the Renaissance was also written in etching, between invention and Italian audacity? From October 22, 2025 to February 1, 2026, an exceptional exhibition at the Beaux-Arts in Paris retraces the career of Rosso Fiorentino and Francesco Primaticcio, two Italian artists invited to France by François Ier. In all, a selection of some fifty drawings and prints held in the institution's collections is presented. The public is plunged into the heart of the Fontainebleau building site, between 1530 and 1560, a pivotal period for the emergence of a new style. These works, rarely shown to the public, reveal the birth of theFontainebleau School, an artistic movement that profoundly influenced French Renaissance art.

You'll discover the genesis of the Château de Fontainebleau's prestigious decors, from the Galerie François I to the Galerie d'Ulysse, including the Salle de Bal and the Porte Dorée. But the exhibition isn't confined to Italian artists: it also spotlights the engravers on site, who were the real driving force behind the technical innovations of the time. They were not mere interpreters, but creators in their own right, pioneers in the use of etching, a printmaking technique still in its infancy in France at the time.

Rosso and Primaticcio, a unique collection to discover in the heart of Paris

This exhibition is a rare opportunity to contemplate works that have remained in the shadows for over thirty years. Some have never even been exhibited before. Among the highlights is one of the few drawings from Rosso's French period, Pandora releasing the plagues from her box, a powerful and disturbing composition.

The visit is structured around three main themes: the first section showcases the preparatory drawings and prints associated with the Fontainebleau decorations, whether still visible or no longer in existence. The second, devoted to etchings from the 1540s, focuses on the technical innovations and key figures of the first Fontainebleau engraving workshop(Léon Davent, Fantuzzi, Mignon...). Finally, the last section explores the artists' ancient and modern inspirations, revealing the rich exchanges between Italians, French and Flemish. This collective dynamic enabled the rapid spread of a new aesthetic, driven by a bold, transnational artistic vision.

A rendezvous for art and history enthusiasts

If you're passionate about art history, the Renaissance, printmaking techniques or monumental decors, this exhibition is bound to appeal to you. It invites you to take a fresh look at a key moment in French artistic history, while discovering little-known masterpieces preciously preserved at the Beaux-Arts de Paris. For the duration of the exhibition, this teaching and research facility becomes a veritable laboratory of artistic memory.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a highly visual, immersive or spectacular exhibition in the contemporary sense, this tour may not meet your expectations. Here, emotion comes from the finesse of the line, the precision of the prints, the richness of the references - not from digital installations or scenic effects.

A unique setting for an exceptional heritage

The setting of the Beaux-Arts de Paris, in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, offers an atmosphere conducive to contemplation and reflection. It's the ideal place for a solo visit, an erudite stroll for two, or a family outing with teenagers curious to discover art in a different way. Theexhibition is also in keeping with the institution's mission: to preserve, study and pass on a unique heritage, while highlighting the contributions of European artists whose creative dialogue has spanned the centuries.

Thanks to the mobilization of collectors and patrons, the collection of drawings preserved here is one of the richest in France, rivalling those of the Louvre and the Bibliothèque nationale. It bears witness to a time when art was built on a constant exchange between ancient tradition and contemporary creation, between royal patronage and collective ingenuity.

A journey behind the scenes of a founding artistic project awaits you. Whether you're a connoisseur or just a curious art lover, this exhibition has something for everyone!

This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.