The Sun King’s Carpets in Majesty in the Nave of the Grand Palais

There was a large crowd this Saturday in February at the entrance of the Grand Palais to admire the immense carpets that Colbert, intending to make the glory of Louis XIV shine forth, commissioned in 1668 from the Savonnerie manufactory for the floor of the Grande Galerie of the Louvre Palace, then the seat of the French monarchy before its move to the Château de Versailles.

Louis XIV, who was 23 years old when the order was placed, had decided to identify himself with Apollo, the god of Light and the Arts.

When visitors enter the nave of the Grand Palais, the spectacle is breathtaking. Beneath the magnificent glass roof, whose metal framework has just been freshly repainted in pale green, thirty-seven large carpets of imposing dimensions, suddenly restored to their former splendor, have been sumptuously unrolled. Placed end to end, they form a magnificent perspective and create a striking visual impact.

One almost feels the urge, like Aladdin, to mount one of these carpets and fly merrily from the Louvre to Versailles. But there is no question of walking on these Crown jewels… except for a single one on which visitors eagerly crowd to set foot. To my knowledge, however, no one has taken off.

The entire set was woven from wool and linen in shades of golden yellow. The weaving of this ensemble—originally comprising 92 pieces—took two decades and mobilized numerous exceptional craftsmen. It was a titanic project, coupled with an artistic and technical feat never seen before. Today, 41 of them are preserved in the collections of the Manufactures nationales (Sèvres and the Mobilier national).

With this monumental commission, Colbert sought to contribute to the development of French manufactories mastering the art of tapestry.

Several activities for children help introduce them to the art of carpet-making. Small looms initiate young visitors, while a large mock carpet drawn on the floor is offered for children to color.

Visitors can also observe the meticulous and highly skilled work of a Savonnerie weaver restoring, before their eyes, a carpet adorned with the sumptuous motifs imagined by the great Charles Le Brun, the King’s First Painter.

In counterpoint, fourteen tapestries displayed vertically recount the great episodes of the Sun King, often depicted victorious on a rearing horse.

Both historical and ephemeral—the exhibition lasted only one week, from February 1 to 8, due to scheduling constraints—The Sun King’s Rediscovered Treasure is one of the most extraordinary decorative ensembles ever conceived for a royal palace.

It will undoubtedly mark the history of the Grand Palais’ programming, the only venue capable of presenting these masterpieces in their full grandeur.

©2026 – IMPACT EUROPEAN

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