'Révéler le féminin'

Until 20 September 2026, the Cognacq-Jay Museum invites you to take a fresh look at female figures through the exhibition Revealing the Feminine. Presented in collaboration with the Palais Galliera, the exhibition explores how women construct their identities, present themselves and distinguish themselves through fashion and the arts. Refined portraits, courtly scenes and historical costumes come together to tell the story of a century in which appearance became a true social language.

A fresh perspective on femininity in the Age of Enlightenment

Through a journey that is both sensitive and illuminating, the exhibition explores the conventions of depicting women in painting and the decorative arts. Whether muses, mothers, aristocrats or more anonymous figures, these female models tell a complex story, shaped by social norms, the male gaze and changing attitudes. As you move through the galleries, discover French-style dresses worn over panniers, boned corsets, embroidered bodices, lace mantlets and delicate toiletry accessories that echo the paintings hanging opposite. The great portraitists of the century, from Maurice Quentin de La Tour to Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, excel at rendering the richness of fabrics, the delicacy of a ribbon or the structure of a powdered hairstyle. Every sartorial detail affirms the rank, taste and identity of these women, revealing a society where image is carefully staged.

A refined visit to the Cognacq-Jay Museum

Amidst monumental pastels, period costumes and contemporary counterpoints, the exhibition invites visitors to view these female figures in a new light, exploring themes of idealisation, intimacy and gradual emancipation. An unmissable cultural stop on a stroll through the Marais, ideal for combining visual delight with reflection on the enduring legacy of the 18th century in our relationship with fashion and the female image.

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