L'Empire du Sommeil

Deadline to register : 15 November 

This exhibition, the first of its kind, explores the symbolic and allegorical significance of sleep, its importance in both secular and sacred iconography, and the influence that scientific, philosophical, and psychoanalytic research has had on the field of art. The 19th and 20th centuries were periods of great transformation in the imagination surrounding sleep. Works from 1800 to 1920 will be presented alongside significant pieces from Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Modern Era, and contemporary times to illustrate key themes: the sleep of the innocent, the dreams of biblical narratives, the ambivalence of sleep between rest and eternal rest, the eroticism of the sleeping body, and dreams themselves. The Symbolist works of Odilon Redon and Gustav Klimt will dialogue with the Surrealist paintings of Max Ernst and René Magritte, as well as with works inspired by dreams and nightmares by Goya and Füssli. Finally, a section of the exhibition devoted to the bedroom will outline the customs and meanings associated with this highly symbolic space.