A major artistic figure of the 17th century, Noël Coypel is little known among the public today. His work will be showcased in a new exhibition in the Grand Trianon from 26 September 2023.
26 september 2023 - 28 january 2024
Noël Coypel
painter of grand decors
The Exhibition
Despite his many works, Noël Coypel's name is eclipsed by that of his sons, Antoine and Noël-Nicolas Coypel, and his grandson Charles-Antoine Coypel.
Through a selection of over 80 works, including paintings, drawings and tapestry cartoons, the exhibition will highlight the talent and visionary eye of Noël Coypel.
Exhibition sequence
The first part of the exhibition will be in the Cotelle Gallery in the Grand Trianon and will present works that evoke the painter’s greatest achievements. It will be a unique opportunity to discover lost decors, such as that of the king’s private apartment in the Tuileries, as well as works that are still visible today, such as the ceilings of the Dôme des Invalides and the parliament building in Rennes, which can be viewed on digital devices
The exhibition will continue in the Queen's State Apartment in the Palace of Versailles with the presentation of the ceiling of the Queen’s Guard Room, which was decorated by Coypel and was restored between 2015 and 2017.
Following this exhibition, the Rennes Fine Arts Museum will organise another exhibition on the artist’s whole career in 2024, in partnership with the Palace of Versailles.
Noël Coypel
The founder of a dynasty of painters, Noël Coypel (1628-1707) excelled in several fields, including ceilings, easel paintings, graphic arts and tapestry cartoons.
After initial training in Orléans, he returned to Paris and worked on the sets for Luigi Rossi's opera Orfeo. His work caught the eye of painter Charles Errard, then Director of Royal Decors at the Louvre, and grand decors became the main part of his work, starting with the parliament building in Rennes and followed by the royal residences and, in his final years, the Invalides. Some of these works have been lost, including those at the Louvre, Fontainebleau, the Palais-Royal and even the ones of the first Versailles, while others are only known about through a few paintings, which are presented in the exhibition.
In parallel, Noël Coypel enjoyed a brilliant academic career. He was received at the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in 1663 and was appointed teacher at the Académie de France in Rome in 1664. He was head of the latter from 1673 to 1675 and was appointed head of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture 1695.
curators
The exhibition will be curated by Béatrice Sarrazin, General Curator for Heritage at the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, and Guillaume Kazerouni, Head of Old Art Collections at the Rennes Fine Arts Museum.
A few OF the artist’s WORKS
Partners
pratical Information
The exhibition will be held in the Grand Trianon and the Queen’s Guard Room from 26 September 2023 to 28 January 2024.
pratical information
- The exhibition will be held during the high season and the low season. Please check the opening times for the Palace and the Estate of Trianon.
- Book a “Trianon” ticket for the Cotelle Gallery or a “Passport” ticket to access the whole exhibition (including those eligible for free admission).