The representation of history in the collections of the Museum of the Palace of Versailles

The line of research on the representation of history in the collections of the Museum of the Palace of Versailles is linked to the prospect of redeployment historical galleries of Versailles. This study must precede the architectural and museographic refurbishment of the North Wing and Midi Wing. The handover of the spaces occupied by Parliament within the palace (25,000 m²) will extend the magnitude of this project.
Planned in 1833 and inaugurated in 1837, the History Galleries at Versailles began to be dismantled in 1892, when Pierre de Nolhac was appointed curator of the Museum of the Palace of Versailles.
The collections in the History Galleries currently comprise approximately 7,000 paintings (5,000 portraits, about 2,000 historical scenes) and 1,500 sculptures (mainly portraits).

The study of the representation of history in the Versailles collections will take several approaches:

• The establishment of the historic galleries under Louis-Philippe: genesis and museography;
• Political and administrative history of the institution, from the July Monarchy to the Third Republic;
• Studies of works and artists: iconographic, aesthetic, social and cultural approach;
• Reception of the History Galleries, in France and abroad;
• The museum of Versailles, actor in and witness to French historiography.

The research programme, involving young researchers, experienced researchers and curators, to establish a report on current knowledge and undertake new studies on specific themes. Research results shall be disseminated on an annual basis: study days, conferences, scientific publications. In the long term, the results could contribute to the works of the museum conservation team in developing a museographic programme.

Research can be undertaken as part of a Masters II, as a thesis for the École des chartes or as a doctoral thesis. Students will be able to meet the Versailles conservators and have access to the artworks and documentary resources.
The Centre de recherche du château de Versailles will award one or several study grants, worth up to 7,500 euros, and will remunerate some sessions.

Team:

Scientific director: Chantal Grell, Professor of Modern History, université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

Research program coordinator: Bastien Coulon, Researcher Officer, Centre de recherche du château de Versailles.

Team:

• Lionel Arsac, Curator at the Department of Sculptures, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon;
• Laurent Avezou, Professor of History, Lycée Pierre-de-Fermat in Toulouse (preparatory class for the École des chartes);
• Arnaud Bertinet, Lecturer in Heritage history and visual archives, université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne;
• Philippe Boutry, professor emeritus, former president of the université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (2017/09-2020);
• Matilde-Maria Cassandro-Malphettes, General Secretary, Centre de recherche du château de Versailles (2017/01-2021);
• Laurent Cazes, Research program coordinator, Centre de recherche du château de Versailles (09-2018/12-2019);
• Mathieu da Vinha, Director, Centre de recherche du château de Versailles;
• Nicole Garnier, General curator for Heritage, musée Condé;
• Gwenola Firmin, Chief Heritage curator at the Paint department, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon;
• Grégoire Franconie, Doctor of History, Associate Researcher at the Centre d’histoire du XIXe siècle, université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne;
• Thomas W. Gaehtgens, Director emeritus, Getty Research Institute;
• Barthélemy Jobert, Professor of Art History, Sorbonne Université;
• Frédéric Lacaille, General curator for Heritage at the Paint department, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon;
• Éric Landgraf, Doctor of History at the Centre d’Histoire culturelle des sociétés contemporaines, université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Head of the documentation and library department of the musée de Cluny;
• Jean-Marie Le Gall, Professor of Modern History, université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne;
• Jean-Michel Leniaud, Director of studies, École Pratique des Hautes Études;
• Alexandre Maral, General curator for Heritage at the Sculpture department, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon (until October 2023);
• Olivier Matteoni, Professor of Medieval History, université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne ;
• Gérard Sabatier, Professor Emeritus of Universities;
• Laurent Salomé, Director, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon;
• Béatrice Sarrazin, General curator for Heritage at the Paint department, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon;
• Élodie Vaysse, Curator at the Paint department, musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon.

Productions

 Study day “Les galeries historiques de Versailles au XIX^e siècle : origine, organisation, réception” (9 October 2019, château de Versailles);

 Doctoral seminar “Représenter l’histoire au musée. Trajectoire commune et divergences entre le musée du Louvre et le château de Versailles – XIX^e-XX^e siècles” in collaboration with the Centre Dominique-Vivant Denon (December 2021-May 2022, Louvre);

 Publications in the Bulletin du Centre de recherche du château de Versailles and in Les Carnets de Versailles.

Productions planned

 Database « Montalivet » to draw up a list of the works in the collections of the Palace of Versailles relevant to the programme;

 Study day on the influence abroad of the History Galleries at Versailles, and on the future of the History Galleries at Versailles in the 20^th and 21^st centuries;

 Collective work on the representation of history in the History Galleries of the Palace of Versailles, edited by Chantal Grell.

Call for publication

Consult our call for papers related to this area of research on the Bulletin du Centre de recherche.