The Splendid Century: French Art of the Seventeenth Century

November 10-December 15, 1960

Overview: 17th-century works of art came from 59 palaces, churches, cathedrals, and museums in France. The exhibition was a survey of le grand siècle, from the death of Henry IV in 1610 to the years just after the death of Louis XIV in 1715. Included were 166 paintings, drawings, and sculptures, and 8 tapestries. There were 5 paintings by Georges de La Tour and 7 by the Le Nain brothers. The catalogue was prepared by Michel Laclotte, Inspecteur Général des Musées de Province. Entries on the 13 works by Nicolas Poussin were by Anthony Blunt, and on the 9 works by Claude Lorrain by Michael Kitson. The exhibition was sponsored by the government of France and arranged by the Direction Générale des Affaires Culturelles and the Association Française d'Action Artistique. The show was directed by Jacques Dupont, Inspecteur Général des Monuments Historiques, who accompanied the exhibition to Washington.

Attendance: 37,535 (36 days)

Location: Main Floor, 12 Galleries, East Garden Court (tapestries)

Catalogue: The Splendid Century: French Art, 1600-1715, introduction by Theodore Rousseau Jr. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1960.

Other venues:

Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio

January 6-February 20, 1961

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

March 8-April 30, 1961

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