Fragonard, 100 ans de collections et de savoir-faire

Paintings, exquisite bottles and 18th-century costumes come together in the exhibition “Fragonard, 100 Years of Collections and Craftsmanship” at the Monnaie de Paris. To mark its centenary, the perfume house brings its collections together in the salons on the quai de Conti. The exhibition connects toiletry objects with the images and clothing through which a society displays its desires and social standing.

The story begins with a drawing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard depicting his family at the theatre, recreated as a costumed scene. Alongside the painter who gave the perfume house its name, works by Marguerite Gérard, Jean-Baptiste Mallet and Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun offer a broader view of the century. The birds, flowers and ribbons in the paintings are echoed in accessories and decorative objects, reflecting both social conventions and rituals of seduction.

Perfume bottles, incense burners and toiletry sets bring this history back to everyday rituals. Within Nathalie Crinière’s exhibition design, scent stations introduce visitors to fragrances inspired by historic formulas, from scented waters to potpourri. Perfume thus offers another way to explore how these objects were used, beyond their appearance alone.

Practical information
- Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm; Wednesdays until 9pm.
- Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
- Closed on 25 December and 1 January.
- Closes at 4pm on 24 and 31 December, with last admission at 3:30pm.
- The ticket includes admission to the museum.
- Free for visitors under 26.
- The museum’s free admission on the first Sunday of each month does not apply to this exhibition.