Feline eyes staring at you beneath the moldings of a Second Empire salon: that’s the image that stays with us after our sneak preview of “Empreintes,” the new free exhibition by street artist SAX. After the crypt of the Madeleine Church in June, he is bringing his canvases to the Fondation Eugène Napoléon in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, from October 29 to November 1, 2026.
Painting, Land Art and photography engage in a dialogue in drawing rooms that the public rarely gets to see. Just four days, a stone’s throw from Place de la Nation, to visit an exhibition presented by the Galerie Roussard.
The contrast is striking from the very first steps. On one side, the gilding, wood paneling and ceilings of a 19th-century monument. On the other, wild cats, wolves and elephants splashed with color, their gazes almost unsettling in their intensity.
Far from competing with each other, the two complement one another, a little like graffiti bringing an old family album to life. You’re drawn in by the large, colorful works, then by the delicate watercolors, before diving into photos and videos of her creations in the great outdoors.
This shift from canvas to landscape gives the exhibition’s title its full meaning. Everywhere, the idea of a trace recurs: the brushstroke on the canvas, and the mark the artist leaves in nature before the wind or tide erases it.
The visit begins on the sidewalk, with a photographic trail mounted on the Fondation’s outer railings. Visitors then enter through the garden on the Picpus Street side.
The large central reception hall, the Empress's Salon, brings together many of the works.
We continue toward the chapel vestibule, which opens onto a small gallery of watercolors on the left.
A staircase then leads upstairs, where a meeting room showcases the artist’s Land Art creations in photographs and videos. It also offers the best view of the inner garden.
Don’t rush off as soon as you arrive: a small shop by the entrance offers cards and signed lithographs to take home. A lovely souvenir for those who can’t afford an original painting.
What’s on offer at this exhibition-sale:
A useful clarification: the photographs are not for sale. They serve as a record of works that no longer exist, since these natural frescoes disappear under the effects of the elements, unlike paintings and lithographs.
The Foundation’s inner garden, usually closed to the public, is a small green oasis hidden behind the façades. On Saturday, October 31, 2026, SAX will create a temporary artwork there in a live performance around the central statue, using biodegradable materials.
To watch it take shape, head upstairs. From the room devoted to Land Art, you can take in the entire design from above, as if admiring a fresco traced in the sand before the tide comes in. Imagine a majestic stag, antlers and all, coming to life before your eyes.
Its story began with a rejected gift. On January 26, 1853, the Paris City Council voted to spend 600,000 francs on a diamond necklace for Eugénie de Montijo, the future wife of Napoleon III. She declined it and asked that the money be used to establish a free school for poor girls, as the Diocese of Paris recalls.
Opened on December 28, 1856, the building is named after the imperial couple’s son. A clever touch by architect Jacques-Ignace Hittorff, who also designed the Cirque d’Hiver and Gare du Nord: the building’s layout traces the outline of the rejected necklace, with the entrance pavilion as the pendant and the chapel as the clasp. Seen from above, the effect is striking.
The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to visit this chapel, which houses no artworks but remains open to visitors. The fresco in the choir depicts the site’s origins: the Empress symbolically offers her necklace to the Virgin, surrounded by the orphans and the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul. Also look up at the ceiling, scattered with lilies, roses and the monograms of Mary and Eugénie.
Today, the site still houses schools and a residence for female students. Only its street-facing garden is open to the public throughout the rest of the year, which explains why few Parisians have ever crossed its threshold. The building is protected as a historic monument.
In 2026, the Foundation will celebrate its 170th anniversary and is preparing to restore its historic heart. This exhibition, the first ever to open to the public within its walls, is also intended to raise its profile. An online fundraising campaign is underway to support this work.
Behind SAX is Henry Blache, originally from the Provençal Drôme. With roots in street art, since 2019 he has developed a style of painting that is instantly recognizable, somewhere between abstraction and realism. Spray paint, acrylic, ink or watercolor: he blends techniques, letting splashes of color gradually bring a feline, a wolf or a rhinoceros into view.
Since 2023, he has also been creating large-scale ephemeral works in the open air using natural materials. In September 2026, his monumental creation in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay surpassed one million views on Instagram.
Founded in Montmartre in 1948, Galerie Roussard exhibited works by Utrillo, Vlaminck and Dufy before turning to urban art under the leadership of Sophie and Julien Roussard. Since 2023, it has become a nomadic gallery, staging exhibitions in historic venues.
SAX launched this new format with “The Five Elements” at the Madeleine in 2023, which attracted more than 18,000 visitors. His works can also be seen on the gallery’s website, French Art Collection.
Entry is through the Jardin de l’Impératrice Eugénie, at 2 rue de Picpus (Paris 12th arrondissement). Following the public preview on Thursday, October 29, the exhibition is open from Friday, October 30, to Sunday, November 1, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last entry at 6:30 p.m.). Admission is free, with no reservation required.
For access, Nation station (metro lines 1, 2, 6 and 9, and RER A) is just a few minutes’ walk away. The schedule for the book signings and live creation sessions is posted on the Instagram account @galerieroussard.
A free exhibition combining street art and Land Art in such a unique setting gets our seal of approval. It will appeal as much to fans of animal painting and street art as to those curious about Parisian heritage, and it’s a chance to step through a door that stays closed the rest of the year.
Bear in mind that the window is very short, right in the middle of the All Saints’ Day weekend: you’d better head there soon. Some areas remain closed to protect the Foundation’s activities, and Friday is expected to be quieter than Saturday, when the work will be created live.
Want to keep your artistic stroll going? Take a look at our selection of street art exhibitions to discover in Paris and Île-de-France, or browse our guide to free exhibitions in Paris. SAX is also unveiling several works at Expo des 150, another great discovery to enjoy right now.
Dates and Opening Time
From October 29, 2026 to November 1, 2026
Location
Eugène Napoléon Foundation
254 rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine
75012 Paris 12
Route planner
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
