Exhibition The Golden Age: the Courbet Museum in Ornans in search of Paradises, Utopias and Dreams of Happiness
Gustave Courbet Museum
From June 24 to October 1, 2023
What might the
heaven ? A nostalgic reverie for some, an image of an inaccessible present or an ideal of an impossible future for others, the myth of the golden age has spanned the ages and taken on many faces over the centuries. Irony of history: this legendary story describing a happy humanity living in perfect harmony with the gods within a generous and prosperous nature has not always been unanimously accepted here on earth. Absolute in the mannerist Jacopo Zucchi, lost for Alexandre Cabanel, allegorical in Ingres or utopian in the work of the anarchist Paul Signac, the Courbet museum has summoned the greatest names in the history of art as well as simple mortals anonymous people to come and bear witness to this ultimate quest for perfection. Appearing since Antiquity in the texts of Hesiod then in Ovid's Metamorphoses, the golden age unfortunately fell into disuse in the 18th century.
before being reborn from its ashes 200 years later in the joyful compositions of Matisse or in the pastoral scenes of Pierre Bonnard. Rich in numerous masterpieces, this gentle exhibition multiplies points of view, exploring the immortality of a theme, the recurrence of a motif and its evolution through the ages. On this path, we come across a set of exceptional works, some of which are brought together for the first time, such as this rare brown ink on paper by Vasari, this precious sandstone vase by Aimé-Jules Dalou or this flamboyant representation baroque by Jan II Brueghel. Synonymous with abundance, justice or collective happiness, the myth of the golden age nevertheless outlines the ills of a decadent society awaiting the inevitable decline of the human condition.
Focus on..
The Paradise of Maurice Denis
Here, no trace of God, nor of Adam, nor of Eve, ashamed of having disobeyed their Creator. No tree of life, no apple to eat or tempting snake coiled around its trunk. A Christian and fervent defender of the renewal of sacred art, Maurice Denis emancipates himself from the long history of religious iconography with this scene of absolute freshness and gentleness. In a garden bursting with flowers, angels and young children wander without it always being possible to distinguish one from the other. Depicted in purity of shapes and colors, the feeling of nature dominates in this divine setting in delicate halftones.
GUSTAVE COURBET MUSEUM
Until October 1, 2023
1 place Robert Fernier, 25290 Ornans
