Audaces d'un style, the exhibition at the Châteaux de Bois-Préau and Malmaison

From 1795 to 1804, France was under the Consulate regime: General Bonaparte established an authoritarian regime, theoretically led by three consuls. In reality, the ambitious First Consul kept a firm grip on power, and later imposed the First Empire. During these 10 years, fashions and styles changed.

The châteaux of Bois-Préau and Malmaison explore this particular artistic and decorative period, in a thematic exhibition presented from November 19, 2025 to March 9, 2026.

The Audaces d'un style exhibition brings together no fewer than 130 works. On view are period furniture, drawings, objets d'art, textiles and graphic arts from the turn of the century. The tour is divided into two parts: part of the exhibition is installed at the Château de Bois-Préau. The rest can be discovered on the permanent tour of the Château de Malmaison, where the works interact with the castle rooms designed by Bonaparte and Josephine.

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This exhibition therefore offers an overview of the interior decor anddecorative art fashionable during the years of the Consulate. At the heart of the exhibition are two major decorators of the period, Charles Percier and Pierre-Léonard Fontaine, as well as Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Joséphine. Josephine decided on the layout and decoration of the couple's official and private residences, imposing her style and influencing fashions.

A new political regime, a new ruler, a new era: the Consulate period sought to distinguish itself from previous regimes, while at the same time summoning up the ideals and motifs of the past. Decors and fashions were inspired by ancient Rome, Egypt and the Renaissance, while shapes and colors were influenced by Orientalism... This period is recognized by its luxurious aesthetics and elegant lines.

The exhibition is presented as a trend book for the Consulate, featuring the shapes, colors and ornaments in vogue during the period. The exhibition also highlights the links between decorative art and symbols of power. The choice of colors and materials reveals the authoritarian ambitions of this general who wanted to impose himself on the political scene.