Future

Discover from July 1st, the new exhibition "Treasures of the Kingdom of Lotharingia, the heritage of Charlemagne"!

July 1 - October 8, 2023

On the death of Charlemagne, then of his son Louis the Pious, the empire, in accordance with Carolingian tradition, was divided between the three grandsons of Charlemagne during the Treaty of Verdun in 843: Lotharingia, domain of Lothair, ranging from Germania to Italy via the Meuse, the Rhine and the Rhône, East Francia and West Francia.

The exhibition will highlight the history of this often misunderstood kingdom as well as the exceptional richness of Carolingian art. Lotharingia, over the course of complex political evolutions, is indeed found to have covered territories, ranging from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and today integrated into Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg , France and Italy.

This changing geography, but nevertheless anchored in the western European continent, is the basis of the artistic splendor of Lotharingia. Direct heirs to the inventions of the artists of the Palace of Charlemagne, the works created in the second half of the 9th and in the 10th centuries, reflect in the field of creation the multiple facets of the territory, ranging from the Germanic world to Italy, passing through the valleys of the Meuse, the Rhine and the Rhône. Indeed, through the various legacies, between northern art and art bearing the heritage of the ancient Mediterranean, the works of artists from Lotharingia are, even today, fascinating for their aesthetic richness. The diplomatic relations of the Carolingian sovereigns with the Byzantine Empire find a direct echo in the artistic gesture, through the travel of artists, works and materials.

While addressing the most important events that have punctuated the history of Lotharingia, the exhibition will endeavor to reveal its artistic currents.