Revoir Watteau, the Musée du Louvre's exhibition of the painter's masterpieces

On the occasion of its restoration, the Musée du Louvre wishes to shed light on Watteau's painting Le Pierrot, dit le Gilles. An iconic work by the painter, yet one that was belatedly discovered. Discover all the secrets of this character and the influence he has had on various artistic fields, from the 18th century to the present day.

The Musée du Louvre is therefore organizing an exhibition entitled Revoir Watteau, centered around this Pierrot, to be visited from October 16, 2024 to February 3, 2025. Watteau 's painting is of course at the heart of the exhibition, but it is not the only masterpiece in the collection. There are several paintings by the painter and his contemporaries, as well as paintings, photographs and drawings from more recent eras. In all, 65 works are on display at the Musée du Louvre, including seven paintings by Watteau.

Pierrot was born in comic theater. Alongside Harlequin, Pierrot is a recurring character in commedia dell'arte. Fascinated by this theatrical universe from an early age, Watteau painted a number of scenes and portraits inspired by live performance. However, it is not known when the painter created his Pierrot. The painting's origins remain a mystery, adding to the legend of this fascinating work.

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Over time, the Pierrot disappeared from French theater, but his image remained. Watteau's depiction became a model for painters and artists, and the Pierrot's codes found their way into new characters, such as "Gilles", a white-suited valet who took the Pierrot's place in new 18th-century plays.

Century after century, Watteau's masterpiece continues to inspire painters, writers, playwrights, actors and comedians. The art world is full of white-clad characters, thinkers and poets. This exhibition at the Musée du Louvre shows just how important Watteau's Pierrot still is to our imagination. The mime Marceau and the film Les Enfants du Paradis, for example, draw their inspiration from this character made immortal by the French painter.

As a counterpoint to this melancholy Pierrot, the Musée du Louvre is presenting an exhibition of Figures of Madness at the same time.

Figures du fou, entre Moyen-Âge et Renaissance: l'exposition loufoque du musée du Louvre
Are you crazy? Yes, we are! Everyone's crazy in the Louvre Museum's new exhibition, on view from October 16, 2024 to February 3, 2025. [Read more]