LES CHEVAUX DU ROI : LES CHEVAUX DE MARLY, CHEFS-D'OEUVRE DE L'ART ÉQUESTRE

Exhibition at the Musée du Domaine de Marly, 7 June - 3 November 2024

As the hunting lodge of kings and home to the monumental Chevaux de Marly, the Château de Marly played an essential role in the life of the horse. At a time when horse-riding was really coming into its own, horses occupied the estate in a variety of forms: transport, aristocratic entertainment, military activities, equestrian buildings and artistic representations. The daily presence of horses is accompanied by a rich equestrian iconography displayed throughout the estate.

Through around a hundred paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings, accessories and archive documents, this exhibition catalogue analyses the place of the horse at the Château de Marly from Louis XIV to the Revolution. The book also examines the way in which the estate of Marly, which was designed for hunting from the outset, adapted and sought new ways of integrating equidae at a time when the horse was becoming an essential symbol of royal power.