Permanent display
Now on
A King's Carpet: Louis XIV and the Savonnerie
8 Sep 2026 — 5 Mar 2028 at Metropolitan Museum of Art
· New York City
This exhibition focuses on the extraordinary carpets produced by the Savonnerie manufactory for King Louis XIV, whose reign saw the creation of some of the most ambitious woven works in the history of French decorative arts.
The Savonnerie, established in the early seventeenth century, became the preeminent royal carpet workshop in France. Under Louis XIV's patronage, it produced monumental pile carpets of unparalleled scale and complexity, designed to furnish the Grande Galerie of the Louvre and the palace of Versailles. Their rich imagery — featuring sunbursts, laurel wreaths, trophies of arms, and allegorical figures — celebrated the glory and absolute power of the Sun King.
The exhibition invites visitors to examine these rare and opulent works up close, tracing the artistic vision, technical mastery, and courtly symbolism woven into every inch of their design.
The Savonnerie, established in the early seventeenth century, became the preeminent royal carpet workshop in France. Under Louis XIV's patronage, it produced monumental pile carpets of unparalleled scale and complexity, designed to furnish the Grande Galerie of the Louvre and the palace of Versailles. Their rich imagery — featuring sunbursts, laurel wreaths, trophies of arms, and allegorical figures — celebrated the glory and absolute power of the Sun King.
The exhibition invites visitors to examine these rare and opulent works up close, tracing the artistic vision, technical mastery, and courtly symbolism woven into every inch of their design.
About the venue
Metropolitan Museum of Art
· New York City
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the fourth-largest museum in the world and the largest art museum in the Americas. With 5,727,258 visitors in fiscal year 2025, it was the most-visited museum in…
