CHINA-FRANCE: GLORY OF CIVILIZATIONS

From the 17^th century, Chinese objects dazzled the kings of France and found their way into the Versailles palace. Conversely, French tapestries and astronomical instruments enthralled Emperor Kangxi’s China. For centuries, this sumptuous furniture has been weaving a unique relationship between the two countries.

Engendering fascination, imitation and transformation, these masterpieces have fueled a sustained conversation between the two cultures, following the evolution of morals and fashions. An exchange nurtured by emblematic and visionary figures, from Louis XIV to Charles de Gaulle, from Arcade Huang (interpreter of the Sun King) to Shen Fuzong, from Marie Antoinette to Victor Hugo.   

To coincide with an exhibition at the Palace Museum (Beijing), this film draws four centuries of artistic dialogue between East and West. Propelled into the heart of grandiose settings – the Château de Versailles, the Forbidden City, Jingdezhen (the “Porcelain Capital”) – we become privileged spectators of an array of refined, delicate artworks.