The Louvre-Lens Museum is proud to present the very first retrospective in continental Europe dedicated to the magnicent art of the Qajar dynasty, the glorious sovereigns who ruled Iran from 1786 to 1925.

This period is one of the most fascinating in the history of the country, one in which it joined the global community, embracing innovation and modernisation while still seeking to maintain its identity. The original and surprising art created during this period was particularly rich and bountiful, driven in part by exceptionally talented court artists. The latter are the focus of this exhibition, which displays over 400 works from a wide range of private collections and major European, North American and Middle Eastern institutions. Many of the pieces are appearing here for the first time anywhere in the world. This comprehensive and unprecedented overview of Qajar art brings together paintings, drawings, jewellery, enamels, rugs, clothing, photographs and ceremonial weapons.

An art history enthusiast himself, designer Christian Lacroix has fashioned the exhibition as a stroll through the rooms of an opulent Qajar palace. Visitors enter the gallery through a monumental doorway inspired by the triple arcade depicted in the Ruines du palais d’Ashra, a 19th-century painting by Jules Laurens on loan from the Bibliothèque Inguimbertine in Carpentras. Within the exhibition gallery, the succession of rooms is inspired by the palatial residence constructed by Fath Ali Shah in Sulaymaniyah, the plans for which – now preserved in the Bibliothèque municipale de l’Alcazar in Marseille – were drawn up in 1840 by architect Pascal Coste.

The exhibition, together with the accompanying colloquium, has bene‹ted from the generous support of the Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Fund, established by Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, as part of the Louvre Endowment Fund. The exhibition has been made possible thanks to the special support from Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe Foundation and Total Foundation. Lelièvre Paris has also supported the exhibition by providing remarkable furniture silks.