Thrones in Majesty at the Château de Versailles

Starting March 19, some 40 emblematic thrones from different periods and civilisations will be on display in the palace of Versailles during an exhibition on Thrones in Majesty.

The emblematic thrones are presented in the Grands Apartements of the palace and will help the public better understand the universality of the seated representation of religious and political authority.

Thrones in Majesty will feature exceptional pieces on loan from the Vatican, Beijing’s Forbidden City and royal palaces in Madrid, Warsaw and other European capitals. Emblematic chairs, including those of King Dagobert, Napoleon, the restored King Louis XVIII and Pope Pius VII’s sedia gestatoria are on display with Taino, African, Chinese, Thai and other thrones in a fitting setting.

Between sobriety and taste, measure and immoderation, thrones always refer to the same symbol of authority “sitting”.

The exercise of sovereignty associates two separate ideas: authority and power. Authority gives the person holding it a lasting, legitimate character; it 'seats' him or her on foundations that are much more stable than those offered by power, which, ephemeral and hard to acquire, is based on the hero's victory over his adversaries.

The exhibition will run from March 19 to June 19.