“Le Dernier Sacre”, the Mobilier National Unveils the Story Behind the Last French Coronation
This is arguably one of the lesser-known and yet most exhilarating chapters of French history. In the wake of Louis XVIII’s death (September 16th, 1824) France embarked on a race against time to organise the coronation of Charles X. Stakes were more than high, as they only had eight months to put together an event as grandiose as that of the British king George IV. The ceremony became the scene of an exceptional display of talent and creativity, mobilising the kingdom’s finest craftsmen, decorators, weavers, goldsmiths and cabinet-makers. This colourful exhibition, curated by Stéphane Bern and designed by decorator Jacques Garcia, takes a behind-the-scenes look at this historical event.
Spreading across the Gobelins gallery, the exhibition focuses on the preparations for the coronation on the ground floor, which features from the design of the decorations and the King’s journey to Reims to the layout of his residence. Upstairs, visitors are transported to the heart of the ceremony, as if they were among the members of the Court attending this sumptuous event in the cathedral of Rheims. The exhibition plunges visitors into the high points of the ceremony, presenting the costumes, decorations, official commissions and diplomatic gifts. The collections on display include treasures from the Mobilier national, enhanced by exceptional loans from France’s leading museums, including the Louvre, the Army Museum, the Legion of Honour Museum, the Château de Versailles, the Palais du Tau in Reims, and many others. Works loaned by descendants of the participants or private collectors complete this unique exhibition, providing a living testimony to this period.
During the exhibition opening, we crossed paths with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Diana Picasso, Catherine Vautrin, Jean d’Orléans, and Jean-François Hébert.
Photos: Michael Huard and Ayka Lux
