Luigi XIV's Monumental Carpets on Rare Display at Grand Palais Until Feb 8

An exceptional exhibition titled "I tesori nascosti del Re Sole" is currently on display at the Grand Palais in Paris, featuring monumental carpets ordered by Louis XIV for the Grande Galerie of the Louvre. This showcase will be available until February 8, 2026. Between 1668 and 1688, a total of 92 carpets, each approximately nine meters in width, were crafted, covering an area close to 4,000 square meters. The Manufacture de la Savonnerie produced these under the artistic direction of Charles Le Brun. While primarily made of wool with silk embellishments, these carpets transitioned from Oriental designs to a unique French aesthetic. Following Colbert's passing, they were never installed at the Louvre and were gradually scattered. Currently, 41 original carpets are preserved by the Manufactures nationales, alongside a significant fragment of the fiftieth carpet recovered in 2024.