The fables of Jean de La Fontaine illustrated by Gustave Moreau

Exposition organisée par le Musée national Gustave Moreau, du 12 février au 17 mai 2021 et le château de Waddesdon Manor (Buckinghamshire, Royaume-Uni) du 10 juin 2021 au 31 octobre 2021.
e story begins much like those tales that lulled us through childhood. Once upon a time a collector, Antony Roux (1833-1913), native of Marseille and great art lover, commissioned Gustave Moreau (1826- 1898), the renowned history painter, to illustrate the Fables of La Fontaine (1621-1695). Conceived originally for the sole enjoyment of the collector and intended to comprise a single book, sixty-four watercolour masterpieces were produced between 1879 and 1884, Our hope in publishing these thirty-five fables and Gustave Moreau's illustrations at the dawn of the 21st century is to make them as popular as those of Gustave Doré in their time, and to relive the childhood joy of the sole illustration alongside La Fontaine's text, without further comment.
e catalogue that accompanies the exhibit explains, for its part, the genesis of this extraordinary series.
e reading and contemplation of these masterpieces of literature and watercolour, respectively, su?ce unto themselves and require no further commentary.