Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (1755–1842) Marie-Antoinette "a la rose," 1783 (detail). Oil on canvas. Etablissement Public du musée et du domaine national de Versailles. Photograph © J. M. Manaï

Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles

November 17, 2007 - February 17, 2008
Marie-Antoinette, the Austrian-born queen of Louis XVI of France, was given the Petit Trianon, a small château secluded in the park at Versailles, upon her accession in 1774. An icon of French neoclassicism, it exemplifies the perfection of 18th-century French architecture through its delicate balance of form and proportion. Its interiors were furnished to the queen's order with pieces of the utmost elegance, restraint, and beauty. This exhibition gives a visual history of the Petit Trianon through 88 pieces of the finest furniture, paintings, and sculpture from this château. It is complemented by watercolors, prints, and drawings of the house and its innovative landscaping, including the picturesque Hameau, a rustic village where the queen and her favorites could relax away from the prying eyes of the court at Versailles. This is the only venue of the exhibition, which is organized by the Musée National of the Château de Versailles.
Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles is presented by Bank of America and organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in cooperation with the Etablissement public du musée et du domaine national de Versailles. The exhibition is also supported by the San Francisco Auxiliary of the Fine Arts Museums, Dr. Kathy Nicholson Hull and Mr. Bill Gisvold, Clare C. McEvoy Charitable Remainder Unitrust and Jay D. McEvoy Trust, George M. Bowles Trust, Hurlbut-Johnson Charitable Trusts, European Decorative Arts Council of the Fine Arts Museums, and Mr. and Mrs. Adolphus Andrews, Jr.