Marie-Caroline, duchesse de Berry, 1798-1870

Exhibition at the Château de Sceaux, 13 September 2026 – 14 February 2027

Marie-Caroline de Berry (1798–1870) embodies one of the most romantic destinies of the 19th century. Born a princess of Bourbon-Sicily, she arrived in France after the fall of Napoleon I to marry the Duke of Berry, son of Charles X and heir to the restored monarchy. A lively and inquisitive woman, she realised at an early age the power of image and public opinion in winning hearts and securing her influence. Following her husband’s assassination, she gave birth to her heir, whom the monarchists dubbed ‘the miracle child’. Determined to defend his claim to the throne, she attempted to instigate two uprisings, first in Marseille and then in the Vendée, at the risk of her freedom and her life. Beyond her combative persona, Marie-Caroline de Berry was also a discerning patron, supporting numerous painters, musicians and men of letters of her time.

Through 160 paintings, sculptures, engravings and previously unpublished documents that belonged to the Duchess or depict key episodes in her life, this exhibition catalogue analyses the creation of a female royal myth, caught between skilfully orchestrated propaganda and genuine modernity. It seeks to move beyond the romanticised or polemical narratives surrounding the Duchess of Berry, in order to highlight the complexity of a woman who was able to navigate the constraints of her time and forge her own legend.