FRENCH MAY: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programme
Talk: China and Versailles 1670-1789:Diplomacy, Fascination, and Influences
Zoom Speaker: Marie-Laure de Rochebrune, Chief curator, Palace of Versailles
Moderator: Dr Estelle Niklès van Osselt, Curator, Hong Kong Palace Museum
In the end of the 17th Century, a very specific diplomatic relationship was born between China and France, thanks to Louis XIV. In 1686, the King sent French Jesuit fathers in China who occupied a special place at the Emperor’s court thanks to their deep knowledges in astronomy and mathematics.
Simultaneously, numerous chinese works of art were introduced in France through the intermediary of different East Indies Companies. These importations led to a true fascination of the Court of France for these exotic productions.
Eventually, the importance of the chinese importations in France had a great influence on many fields of French art. The chinese topics penetrated these different areas with a lot of success.
About the Speaker - Marie-Laure de Rochebrune
Marie-Laure de Rochebrune is the author of "China at Versailles. Art and Diplomacy in the 18th Century".
She graduated from the École du Patrimoine in 1997. She was a curator at the Louvre Museum, before joining the
conservation department of the National Museum of the Palace of Versailles and Trianon in 2010. She is now chief curator
specialising in the field of art objects and has taken on the mission of enriching and enhancing the royal porcelain collections. She has
curated several exhibitions: Splendour of painting on porcelain, Charles Nicolas Dodin
at the Château de Versailles, China at Versailles: Art and Diplomacy in the 18th Century and The
Taste of Marie Leszczyńska,
and has contributed to numerous books. She has recently worked on the creation of a new museum space dedicated to the collections of
service pieces.
About the Moderator - Dr Estelle Niklès van Osselt
Specialising in Chinese and Asian art and archaeology, Estelle Niklès van Osselt studied at the University of Geneva (where she earned her
PhD), the University of London (SOAS), and Peking University. Prior to her appointment at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Dr
Niklès van Osselt worked as Curator at the Baur Foundation in Geneva and for the Guy and Myriam
Ullens Foundation of Chinese contemporary art
in Geneva and Beijing.
If you are interested in participating in this talk, please register on the French May Arts Festival’s designated Eventbrite
page from
1 May onwards:
Presented by:
Venue Sponsor:
Exclusive Sponsor:
*The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programme is supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities
Trust
**All the content of works are independently produced by the creative team, and do not reflect the views or opinions of Jockey Club
Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes nor The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
***Participants must follow the anti-pandemic measures and arrangements by the Organiser. The arrangement of activity is possible to be
changed in light of COVID-19 and government measures.
1. Eating or drinking is not allowed.
2. A face mask must be worn at all times and your body temperature must be checked at the entrance on the ground floor at the reception
before entry.
3. The use of the “LeaveHomeSafe (LHS)” app is mandatory. You must also present a valid printed or digitally stored COVID-19 vaccination
record or Medical Exemption Certificate QR code as instructed by our staffers.
4. All Vaccine Pass (VP) requirements will be observed (unless
you are exempt)
5. The decisions of Alliance Francaise de Hong Kong will be final and prevails.