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    Woven Gold: Tapestries of Louis XIV

    December 15, 2015–May 1, 2016

    Getty Center

    Autumn (detail), before 1669

    Autumn (detail), before 1669, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Winter, Cybele Begs for the Sun’s Return

    Winter, Cybele Begs for the Sun’s Return (detail), 1692-93, design by Pierre Mignard; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Winter, Cybele Begs for the Sun’s Return

    Winter, Cybele Begs for the Sun’s Return (detail), 1692-93, design by Pierre Mignard; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Gallery View

    Gallery view, left to right: The Chariot of Triumph Drawn by Four Piebald Horses, about 1606-1607, design by Antoine Caron; woven at the Louvre workshop of Maurice I Dubout, Paris; wool and silk; The Daughter of Jephthah, 1640s-by 1659, design by Simon Vouet; woven at the Louvre workshop of Maurice II Dubout, Paris; wool and silk; Triumph of Bacchus, about 1560, design by Giovanni da Udine under the supervision of Raphael; woven at the workshop of Frans Geubels, Brussels; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread; all courtesy of Le Mobilier National

  • The Miraculous Draft of Fishes

    The Miraculous Draft of Fishes (detail), 1636-37, design by Raphael; woven at the Mortlake Tapestry Works, Surrey; wool, silk, and gilt metal- and silver-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • The Miraculous Draft of Fishes

    The Miraculous Draft of Fishes, 1636-37, design by Raphael; woven at the Mortlake Tapestry Works, Surrey; wool, silk, and gilt metal- and silver-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Youth, Seated, study for The Entry of Alexander into Babylon

    Youth, Seated, study for The Entry of Alexander into Babylon, about 1664, Charles Le Brun; red chalk heightened with white chalk on beige paper. Le Musée du Louvre, Département des Arts Graphiques, Paris. Image © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY

  • Cartoon for The Entry of Alexander into Babylon

    Cartoon for The Entry of Alexander into Babylon (detail), by 1690, design by Charles Le Brun; painted at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; oil on canvas. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • The Entry of Alexander into Babylon

    The Entry of Alexander into Babylon (detail), by 1676, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal- and silver-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Gallery View

    Gallery view, left to right: The Entry of Alexander into Babylon, by 1676, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal- and silver-wrapped thread; Battle of Arbela, about 1670-1676/77, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal- and silver-wrapped thread; The Queens of Persia at the Feet of Alexander, about 1664, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal- and silver-wrapped thread; all courtesy of Le Mobilier National

  • The Portiere of the Chariot of Triumph (detail)

    The Portiere of the Chariot of Triumph (detail), 1699-1703 or 1715-17, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool and silk. The J. Paul Getty Museum

  • Constantius I Appoints Constantine as His Successor (detail)

    Constantius I Appoints Constantine as His Successor (detail), about 1625-27, design by Peter Paul Rubens; woven at the Faubourg Saint-Marcel workshop, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Triumph of Bacchus (detail)

    Triumph of Bacchus (detail), about 1560, design by Giovanni da Udine under the supervision of Raphael; woven at the workshop of Frans Geubels, Brussels; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • Triumph of Bacchus (detail)

    Triumph of Bacchus (detail), about 1560, design by Giovanni da Udine under the supervision of Raphael; woven at the workshop of Frans Geubels, Brussels; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Photo by Lawrence Perquis

  • The Portiere of the Chariot of Triumph (detail)

    The Portiere of the Chariot of Triumph (detail), 1699-1703 or 1715-17, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool and silk. The J. Paul Getty Museum

  • Diptyque / I

    Diptyque / I, 2001-4, design by Raymond Hains; woven at the National Manufactory, Beauvais; wool and linen. Courtesy of and © Le Mobilier National. Artwork © 2015 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

  • Gallery View

    Gallery view, left to right: Chateau of Monceaux / Month of December, about 1668-1676, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread; courtesy of Le Mobilier National; Autumn, by 1669, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool, silk, and gilt metal-wrapped thread; courtesy of Le Mobilier National; Portiere of the Chariot of Triumph, 1715-1717, design by Charles Le Brun; woven at the Gobelins Manufactory, Paris; wool and silk; The J. Paul Getty Museum

Woven Gold: Tapestries of Louis XIV

December 15, 2015–May 1, 2016, Getty Center

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The Sun King, Louis XIV of France, who reigned from 1643 to 1715, formed the greatest collection of tapestries in early modern Europe. Extraordinary resources of time, money, and talent were allocated to the creation of these works, which were meticulously woven by hand with wool, silk, and precious metal-wrapped thread, after designs by the most esteemed artists.

As patron, heir, and collector, Louis XIV vastly augmented the prestigious French royal collection of tapestries. Displayed within his palaces while in residence and in outdoor courtyards on feast days, these monumental hangings embodied and proclaimed his magnificence.

The legacy of tapestry weaving as a national endeavor continues in France today, with state commissions from contemporary artists such as Raymond Hains who designed Diptyque/I. With rare loans from the Mobilier National, this major international loan exhibition presents a selection of grand tapestries that evoke the brilliance of the Sun King’s court.

This exhibition was organized by the J. Paul Getty Museum in association with the Mobilier National et les Manufactures Nationales des Gobelins, de Beauvais et de la Savonnerie.

We gratefully acknowledge the Hearst Foundations, Eric and Nancy Garen, and the Ernest Lieblich Foundation for their generous support.

RELATED EVENTS

A variety of special programs complement the exhibition. All events are free, unless otherwise noted. Seating reservations are required. For reservations and information, please call (310) 440-7300 or see information on planning a visit.

TALKS
Weaving Gold at the Gobelins: A Colony of Artists in the Services of the Sun King

Florian Knothe, director of the University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong, examines the meticulous planning and training of workers involved with the production of tapestries at the royal manufactory in Gobelins, Paris, during the second half of the 17th century. The workshops at Gobelins produced luxurious works of art that served the political and social needs of Louis XIV, and became some of the most stylistically influential artworks of their period.
Saturday, January 23, 4:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Museum Lecture Hall

Making Tapestries Now: Digital Jacquard and a Renewed Form

Artist John Nava, who designed the Jacquard-tapestry cycles for the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, speaks about the creation of monumental tapestries today.
Sunday, April 3, 4:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Harold M. Williams Auditorium

SYMPOSIUM
Apollo & Arachne: Louis XIV and the French Royal Collection of Tapestries

Art historians and tapestry scholars present new insights about the royal collection of tapestries assembled during the 72-year reign (1643-1715) of Louis XIV. Topics range from the strategic acquisition of revered antique sets, to the iconographic power of new commissions, to the reception and dissemination of Gobelins weavings among private patrons. This one-day symposium coincides with the exhibition on view at the Getty Center.
Admission is free but advance registration is required by January 14.
Sunday, January 24, 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Getty Center: Museum Lecture Hall

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COURSES
Artist at Work: Tapestry Weaving

Colorful and glittering tapestries, handwoven after designs by the most renowned artists, were the ultimate expression of power, taste, and wealth during the reign of Louis XIV. Join tapestry conservator and weaver Yadin Larochette in an exploration of the materials and techniques used to produce the monumental tapestries featured in the exhibition. This is a free, drop-in program.

In Gallery

Experience a live weaving demonstration by Yadin Larochette in the exhibition galleries while viewing the extraordinary tapestries of Louis XIV.
Tuesdays: January 5, 12, 19, February 2, 9, 16, March 1, 15, 29, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Special Exhibitions Pavilion

In Studio

Join Yadin Larochette for an interactive introduction to the materials and techniques used to create beautiful, handwoven tapestries from the initial design to the final stages of manufacture.
Sundays: January 17, February 7, 28, and March 20, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Museum Studios

Culinary Workshop: A Taste for Luxury

Louis XIV, France’s Sun King, was a preeminent tastemaker with an appetite for fine art and haute cuisine. Join chef and educator Robin Trento in a hands-on exploration of the elaborate culinary practices of the 17th-century French court. Visit two spectacular exhibitions—Woven Gold: Tapestries of Louis XIV and The Edible Monument: The Art of Food for Festivals—and prepare a class meal fit for a king. Course fee $95. Complimentary parking. Tickets available beginning Tuesday, January 15.
Thursday, February 25, 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Repeats Friday, February 26
Getty Center: Private Dining Room

Froth and Folly: Scent for 18th-Century French Nobility

Which scents wafted through the air at the Palace of Versailles? Join Saskia Wilson-Brown of the Los Angeles-based Institute for Art and Olfaction for a historical introduction to perfumery. Explore the materials used to create potpourri, fragrance waters, and perfume oils in France during the 18th century and create your own historic fragrance in this hands-on workshop. Course fee $65 (includes materials). Complimentary parking.
Saturday, February 27, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Museum galleries and Museum Studios

TOURS
Curator’s Gallery Tour

Charissa Bremer-David, curator of sculpture and decorative arts, the J. Paul Getty Museum, leads a gallery tour of the exhibition. Meet under the stairs in the Entrance Hall.
Wednesdays: December 16, January 6 and 20, February 3 and 24, March 9 and 23, April 6 and 20, 1:30 p.m.
Getty Center: Special Exhibitions Pavilion

VIDEO



The Art of Making a Tapestry
This 9-minute video explores the process of tapestry weaving at the Gobelins Manufactory in Paris, where historical techniques, dating back to the time of Louis XIV, are used to make contemporary works of art.

Exhibition Text & Checklist

MOBILE TOUR

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Hear curator Charissa Bremer-David and others explain the monumental masterpieces inherited, collected and commissioned by the Sun King.

Go to getty.edu/tapestries on your smartphone; bring your own headphones or pick up a multimedia player free of charge in the Museum Entrance Hall. Join GettyLink for free Wi-Fi during your visit.

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