Ducal Château of Cadillac / 12th June 2019 - 29th september 2019 Henri IV, a King in History

This exhibition dedicated to King Henri IV (1553-1610) and organised in partnership with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (National Monuments Centre – CMN) will allow visitors to discover works that, up until now, have been kept in storage. The Musée National des Chateaux de Versailles et de Trianon collections will be displayed in the magnificent setting of the Ducal Château of Cadillac.

The exhibition

Henri IV (1553-1610) never knew the Palace of Versailles. It was his son, Louis XIII, who came to Versailles to hunt in what was then still marshland. So, there is no obvious link between the legendary king of the feather and the palace of Louis XIV. Nevertheless, these collections contain some fifty works – portraits, oils on wood from the 16th century and sculptures – that are normally housed in storage but which are being put on display in this new exhibition organised together with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN) at the Ducal Château of Cadillac.

The “Henri IV, a King in History” exhibition curated by Raphaël Masson and Lionel Arsac begins by the king's life and then his reign by way of portraits of his family and those close to him. 

It then goes on to address his image as a benevolent and peace-loving king, an image that emerged in the 18^th century, fostered by Louis XV and Louis XVI who saw an interest in celebrating the founder of their dynasty. Henri IV was seen as a remarkable ruler of his kingdom and was celebrated as a historic figure throughout the 19^th century.

Quelques œuvres de l'exposition

Exhibition curators

• Raphaël Masson, Head Curator
• Lionel Arsac, Head Curator

The Ducal Château of Cadillac

Located on the banks of the Garonne river, 35 km from Bordeaux, the Ducal Château of Cadillac has a dual heritage.    

The Château was built under Henri IV in the early 17th century to embody the supreme power of Jean-Louis Nogaret, First Duke of Épernon (1554-1642) and a key figure of the kingdom between the wars of religion and the advent of the Grand Siècle, as the 17th century came to be known in France. Jean-Louis de Nogaret’s palace was fit for kings and, indeed, Louis XIII, Richelieu, Anne of Austria, Molière, Louis XIV and even Mazarin all sojourned there. 

During the Revolution, the Château was stormed and pillaged. Thereafter, the monument endured a painful history, starting with its conversion into France's first female prison in 1818. From 1890, it accommodated juvenile girls, making the Château a “school for the preservation of young women”. Finally, between 1945 and 1952, it housed the Public Institute of Education for young delinquents (IPES). 

The Château was finally restored to its former glory at the start of the 21st century, following successive rounds of works. Restored and run by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, the Ducal Château of Cadillac is now a must-see attraction in the Bordeaux region. 

Practical information

Dicover the exhibition "Henri IV, a King in History. Palace of Versailles' collections at the Ducal Château of Cadillac" from 12^th June to 29^th september 2019. 

All practical information concerning the Ducal Château of Cadillac are available on  http://www.chateau-cadillac.fr/en/.

Timetable

Every days from 10 pm to 1.15 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm.  

Prices

The exhibition "Henri IV, a King in History" is included in the admission ticket.  

• Full price : 6€
• Reduced price : 5€
• Combined ticket with the Sauve-Majeure Abbey (available 2 months) : 9€

Admission is free for under-18s, EU nationals and lawful residents in the European Union aged between 18 and 25, disabled people and an accompanying adult (reduced mobility access is via the ground floor), the unemployed on presentation of proof dated no more than 6 months previously, recipients of minimum social benefits and journalists. 

For groups of 20 people or more, booking is required and admission costs €5 per person. 

For schoolchildren, admission costs €20 per class. To book or get further information, please contact Rafaëlle Coudrais-Duhamel, Visitor Services Manager, by emailing: mediation.bordelais@monuments-nationaux.fr. 

The partnership

The Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN) and Palace of Versailles joined forces in 2013 to organise temporary exhibitions designed to give as many people as possible the opportunity to discover or rediscover certain chapters in French history in the prestigious surrounds of the nation's monuments. 

“Henri IV, a King in History” follows on from six other exhibitions previously organised within the framework of this partnership.

• "Royal coronations, from Louis XIII to Charles X" at the palais du Tau in Reims in 2014
• "George Sand's Salon" in Nohant in 2014
• "From Versailles to the Motte Tilly, the Terray abbot, Louis XV's minister" at the château of the Motte-Tilly in 2015
• "The taste of Jewellery" at Angers in 2016-2017
• "The Princes of Rambouillet. Family portraits" at the Château of Rambouillet in 2017-2018
• "The gallery of the beauties of Louis XIV" at the château of Bussy-Rabutin in 2018