Versailles acquires Vigée Le Brun portrait

 On 16th June 2025 the Palace of Versailles exercised its right of pre-emption to acquire a pastel portrait of the Count of Provence, by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, dated 1776.

Commemorating Franco-American friendship

4th July 2025: This year it is particularly well to remember the joint legacy of "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" which unites France and the US!

Marie-Antoinette at the V & A

The V & A  has now issued the Press Release for the Marie Antoinette Style exhibition which opens in September.

Revolution in the Netherlands

A Leiden University PhD thesis by Dirk Alkemade traces the career of Dutch patriot Pieter Vreede (1750-1837).  [news article, 11.06.2025]. 

Remembering David Bindman

 The death has been announced of David Bindman, Emeritus Professor of the History of Art at University College London.  Among many achievements Professor Bindman is remembered as curator of the British Museum's groundbreaking 1989 exhibition on British representations of the French Revolution.

"Le Père la chaise" verdict ... Guilty!

No real surprises there!  But one suspects he has got away quite lightly....

The furniture fraud who hoodwinked Versailles....

 After nine years  of investigation, the verdict in the infamous fake chairs trial is to be delivered on Wednesday!  In the meantime, here is a good summary article in English from the BBC News website. 

Darrin McMahon on Equality

The Voltaire Foundation blog publishes a post by Darrin McMahon on the concept of Equality in  Enlightenment thought,  based on a lecture given on April 5, 2025 at the Oxford Literary Festival, sponsored by the Voltaire Foundation.

Portrait of Louis XVII by Marie-Antoinette

The most poignant of the lots on offer at the Osenat sale "Royalty atVersailles", held on 18th May was this striking portrait of Louis-Charles of France in the prison of the Temple attributed to Marie-Antoinette. Annotated by the Empress Eugénie, "Drawn by his Unfortunate mother". Sold for €10,498.

Lock of Marie-Antoinette's hair

The Osenat sale "Royalty at Versailles" held on 18th May included several important items of Marie-Antoinette memorabilia, including her missel and a lock of her hair, which was sold to an anonymous buyer for  € 9,660.

Marie-Antoinette's pooche

 Also among the lots of the recent Osenat sale "Royalty at Versailles", held 18th May 20 2025, was this cute presumed portrait of 'Pompon', Marie-Antoinette's beloved dog by Jacques Barthélemy Delamarre. (Sold for €9,274.)

Napoleon's sword auctioned

On 22nd May a sabre which belonged to Napoleon was sold by Giquello in Paris for the huge sum of €4.6 million of €700,000–€1 million.