GFM – Monaco and the Napoleons: Intertwined Destinies
Through a selection of precious works of art, rare archival documents and prestigious artefacts from major public institutions and private collections, the public is invited to discover the many facets of a historical relationship that is as little known as it is essential.
This exhibition is the result of rigorous research carried out by the three curators. Pierre Branda, Scientific Director of the Fondation Napoléon, along with Thomas Fouilleron and Thomas Blanchy, respectively Director and Deputy Director of the Archives and Library of the Prince's Palace of Monaco, have come together to offer a fresh and well-documented perspective on one of the pivotal periods incontemporary European and Monegasque history, which saw Emperors Napoleon I and Napoleon III, as well as Empresses Josephine and Eugénie… cross paths with the Grimaldi dynasty.
But that is not all…
An exceptional loan will enrich the exhibition: the private collection of David and Mikhail Iakobachvili. The involvement of these collectors in the project, both as organisers and as lenders of a large proportion of the objects on display, has made this event possible.
This family, passionate about decorative arts, rare objects, mechanical creations and sound installations, has amassed over the course of more than twenty years an impressive collection centred on several themes spanning the 16th to the 20th century. Amongst other items, precious Napoleonic memorabilia
– testaments to the exceptional craftsmanship and technologies of the two Empires – will be on display at the Grimaldi Forum as part of
this major event.
It was at the crossroads of their passion, their attachment to Monaco and their deep interest in France’s cultural and artistic heritage
that the project “Monaco and the Napoleons: Intertwined Destinies” was born.
Louis Ducruet, committed to promoting Monaco’s historical heritage, is the exhibition’s ambassador, offering a contemporary perspective on this formative era. “Monaco and the Napoleons: Intertwined Destinies” offers a unique opportunity to (re)discover, from a different perspective, the many ties that bound Monaco to Napoleon Bonaparte and his successors.
A major cultural event of summer 2025, promising to combine rigorous scholarship with a sense of heritage.