Experience the Allure of France: A Journey Through Time and Beauty
Step into the enchanting realm of France, a country that has captivated the hearts of travelers for centuries. With its roots reaching deep into the annals of history, France's narrative weaves through the eras of the Gauls, the might of the Roman Empire, the opulence of the French monarchy, and the revolutionary spirit that reshaped its destiny. This land of elegance and diversity invites you to explore its rich culture, iconic landmarks, and exquisite cuisine.
The Saga of France: A Legacy of Civilization
France's story is painted with the brushstrokes of time, from the prehistoric Lascaux caves to the grandeur of the Renaissance, and beyond to the modern-day Republic. It's a history filled with artists, warriors, and visionaries, all of whom have left indelible marks on the fabric of French society.
Paris: The Heartbeat of France
The City of Light beckons with its timeless charm. Paris, France's capital, is an anthology of artistic and architectural masterpieces, with the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum as its crowning jewels.
The Riviera: Azure Shores and Glitzy Glamour
Delve into the chic allure of the French Riviera. Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez are synonyms for sun-drenched beaches, cultural festivals, and the sparkling Mediterranean.
Provence: A Tapestry of Lavender Fields and Ancient Ruins
Provence enchants with its rolling vineyards, fragrant lavender fields, and Roman heritage, epitomized by the well-preserved Pont du Gard and the historic city of Avignon.
The Loire Valley: A Castle-Studded Dreamscape
Travel back in time in the Loire Valley, a region dotted with fairy-tale châteaux and verdant, vineyard-laced landscapes that inspired generations of royalty and artists alike.
From the windswept coasts of Normandy, rich with history from medieval times to World War II, to the gastronomic pleasures of Lyon and the snowy peaks of the French Alps, France offers a tapestry of experiences. Join us at travel.frogsfolly.com as we guide you through the cobbled streets, into the heart of French culture, and through the doorways of history. Embark on a French adventure that will leave you with memories as rich as a Bordeaux wine and as vivid as a Cézanne painting.
![<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/11561957@N06/">failing_angel</a> posted a photo:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/55613168009/" title="Minerva and Guard"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55613168009_4d5358a7b0_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Minerva and Guard" /></a></p>
<p>Christian Dior<br />
John Galliano<br />
Collection Haute Couture, Automne/Hiver 2006-2007<br />
Dress in embroidered and painted silk organza<br />
<br />
This look has something of the baroque majesty of the Louis XIV period about it, but transcends classicism. This combative Minerva-like goddess is clad in an expansive gown draped in an unusual material, embroidered with a lion's head glowing with flames. Like the Grande Mademoiselle, the rebellious cousin of the young Sun King during the Fronde (1648-1653), the wearer sports a clever piece of shoulder armour, while a helmet and hairstyle worthy of a cavalry parade, a carrousel at the Tuileries, or a major theatrical production, cap off the look.*<br />
<br />
<br />
In Salle 602<br />
<br />
<br />
For the exhibition<br />
<br />
Louvre Couture - Art and Fashion: Statement Pieces<br />
(January – August 2025)<br />
<br />
Although we have known since the days of Paul Cézanne that ‘the Louvre is the book from which we learn to read’, this inexhaustible wellspring of inspiration has also nourished one of contemporary art’s liveliest domains: the world of fashion. More and more, research and monographs dedicated to the greats of fashion have boldly begun to trace aesthetic family trees, establishing these figures in a historical and artistic context. The pattern is not merely one of disruptions, with various degrees of radical innovation, or of seasonal changes, but also one of echoes and evocations. The threads weaving their way between the work of great fashion figures and the world of art are almost endless, and the history of art as expressed by the Musée du Louvre, in the depth of its collections and in the ways it reflects the tastes of days gone by, is an equally vast terrain of influences and sources.<br />
In consideration of the Louvre’s encyclopaedic immensity, this exhibition follows a methodological approach geared towards exploring the history of decorative styles, art professions and ornamentation through the galleries of the Department of Decorative Arts, where textiles are omnipresent – though generally in tapestries and other décor items rather than in articles of clothing.<br />
Over a nearly 9,000-square-metre space, 65 designs are displayed, along with a number of accessories, newly illuminating the close historical dialogue that continues to take place between the world of fashion and the department’s greatest masterpieces, from Byzantium to the Second Empire. Each of these garments and accessories is on special loan from the most iconic fashion houses, both long-standing and recent, in Paris and throughout the world.<br />
The pieces will not be displayed aimlessly throughout the Department of Decorative Arts, but rather will serve as an occasion to highlight existing parallels: the department owes part of its collection to the generosity of great fashion figures, from Jacques Doucet to Madame Carven. These countless connections embrace common methodological ground in the fields of art history and fashion: knowledge of ancestral techniques, visual culture and the subtle interplay of references, from the catalogue raisonné of the museum to the moodboard of the fashion world. ‘Louvre Couture’ offers a new perspective on decorative arts through the prism of contemporary fashion design.*<br />
<br />
Taken in Musée du Louvre <br />
<br />
The Louvre began as a fortress with thick defensive walls, built in 1190 during the reign of Philippe Auguste. It became a royal residence in 1364 and was modified over the centuries according to changing styles and royal preferences. The Grande Galerie was built between 1595 and 1610, during the reign of Henri IV.<br />
In 1791, during the French Revolution, it was decreed that the Louvre should become a museum of the arts. The Muséum Central des Arts was inaugurated in 1793, and thereafter the palace was increasingly given over to the museum collections and their display to the public. From 1981 to 1989, the Pyramid project focused on putting visitors at the heart of the museum and its collections. The Department of Islamic Art was inaugurated in 2012. The opening of the new rooms of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art is scheduled for 2028.<br />
[*Musée du Louvre]</p>](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55613168009_4d5358a7b0_s.jpg)
![<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/11561957@N06/">failing_angel</a> posted a photo:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/55613364680/" title="Minerva of the Fronde"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55613364680_0c37378184_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Minerva of the Fronde" /></a></p>
<p>Christian Dior<br />
John Galliano<br />
Collection Haute Couture, Automne/Hiver 2006-2007<br />
Dress in embroidered and painted silk organza<br />
<br />
This look has something of the baroque majesty of the Louis XIV period about it, but transcends classicism. This combative Minerva-like goddess is clad in an expansive gown draped in an unusual material, embroidered with a lion's head glowing with flames. Like the Grande Mademoiselle, the rebellious cousin of the young Sun King during the Fronde (1648-1653), the wearer sports a clever piece of shoulder armour, while a helmet and hairstyle worthy of a cavalry parade, a carrousel at the Tuileries, or a major theatrical production, cap off the look.*<br />
<br />
<br />
In Salle 602<br />
<br />
<br />
For the exhibition<br />
<br />
Louvre Couture - Art and Fashion: Statement Pieces<br />
(January – August 2025)<br />
<br />
Although we have known since the days of Paul Cézanne that ‘the Louvre is the book from which we learn to read’, this inexhaustible wellspring of inspiration has also nourished one of contemporary art’s liveliest domains: the world of fashion. More and more, research and monographs dedicated to the greats of fashion have boldly begun to trace aesthetic family trees, establishing these figures in a historical and artistic context. The pattern is not merely one of disruptions, with various degrees of radical innovation, or of seasonal changes, but also one of echoes and evocations. The threads weaving their way between the work of great fashion figures and the world of art are almost endless, and the history of art as expressed by the Musée du Louvre, in the depth of its collections and in the ways it reflects the tastes of days gone by, is an equally vast terrain of influences and sources.<br />
In consideration of the Louvre’s encyclopaedic immensity, this exhibition follows a methodological approach geared towards exploring the history of decorative styles, art professions and ornamentation through the galleries of the Department of Decorative Arts, where textiles are omnipresent – though generally in tapestries and other décor items rather than in articles of clothing.<br />
Over a nearly 9,000-square-metre space, 65 designs are displayed, along with a number of accessories, newly illuminating the close historical dialogue that continues to take place between the world of fashion and the department’s greatest masterpieces, from Byzantium to the Second Empire. Each of these garments and accessories is on special loan from the most iconic fashion houses, both long-standing and recent, in Paris and throughout the world.<br />
The pieces will not be displayed aimlessly throughout the Department of Decorative Arts, but rather will serve as an occasion to highlight existing parallels: the department owes part of its collection to the generosity of great fashion figures, from Jacques Doucet to Madame Carven. These countless connections embrace common methodological ground in the fields of art history and fashion: knowledge of ancestral techniques, visual culture and the subtle interplay of references, from the catalogue raisonné of the museum to the moodboard of the fashion world. ‘Louvre Couture’ offers a new perspective on decorative arts through the prism of contemporary fashion design.*<br />
<br />
Taken in Musée du Louvre <br />
<br />
The Louvre began as a fortress with thick defensive walls, built in 1190 during the reign of Philippe Auguste. It became a royal residence in 1364 and was modified over the centuries according to changing styles and royal preferences. The Grande Galerie was built between 1595 and 1610, during the reign of Henri IV.<br />
In 1791, during the French Revolution, it was decreed that the Louvre should become a museum of the arts. The Muséum Central des Arts was inaugurated in 1793, and thereafter the palace was increasingly given over to the museum collections and their display to the public. From 1981 to 1989, the Pyramid project focused on putting visitors at the heart of the museum and its collections. The Department of Islamic Art was inaugurated in 2012. The opening of the new rooms of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art is scheduled for 2028.<br />
[*Musée du Louvre]</p>](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55613364680_0c37378184_s.jpg)
