Plumes du paradis - Voyages d'un oiseau extraordinaire de Nouvelle-Guinée

From the forests of New Guinea to the paintings of the great masters of the Northern school, a fascinating journey in the footsteps of the birds-of-paradise, flamboyant creatures that have captivated the world for five centuries.

This exhibition traces the circulation of feathers and representations of the birds-of-paradise, artist-birds and purveyors of enchantment native to the lush forests of New Guinea. Objects of desire, contemplation and inspiration, these spectacular beings have crossed eras and continents.

Bringing together nearly 190 works – adornments, paintings, taxidermy specimens, fashion pieces and accessories, works of art and illustrated books – the itinerary intersects the perspectives of natural history, art, ethnology, fashion and ecology. It sheds light on how these birds were collected, depicted, admired or transformed over time in Oceania, Asia and Europe.

Conceived in collaboration with scientists, academics and artists from New Guinea, the exhibition offers contemporary local readings. It invites us to rethink our relationships with the living world and with knowledge in light of the urgent challenges of this century, and to discover these dazzling feathers through a renewed gaze.