Oudry, painter of courre. The royal hunts of Louis XV

WRITTEN IN FRENCH

Painter in ordinary to the king, a cantor inspired by royal hunting, Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755) illuminated the reign of Louis XV with a multitude of exceptional works.
No painter of the eighteenth century knew better than he how to translate the world of hunting, to render the fur of dogs and deer and the plumage of wild game and to plunge us into the forests of Compiègne or Fontainebleau.

This richly illustrated catalogue looks back at Oudry's ability to glorify his sovereign in inspired compositions, and dwells in particular on the culmination of his art: the tapestry of the Royal Hunts, woven at the Gobelins manufactory from cartoons detailing the different stages of a laissez-courre, this ritualized exercise, skilfully orchestrated by a majestic device.
Nearly sixty entries and a dozen essays also allow us to grasp the extent to which Oudry's work exerted a visible influence in exuberant creations and very diverse fields.

Exhibition at the château de Fontainebleau from 13 October to 27 January 2025.

French
224 pages / 170 illustrations

Co-publishing GrandPalaisRmnÉditions / Château de Fontainebleau