Saint-Germain-en-Laye: a globe-trotting museum from Alesia to Rome

France’s own emperor was fascinated with the Roman Empire. The exhibition featured at the Domaine National de Saint-Germain-en-Laye until 3 January 2021 documents this enthusiasm for the era’s cultural and artistic contributions. Organised in partnership with the Réunion des musées nationaux, a French museum association, and the Grand Palais, « D’Alésia à Rome, l’aventure archéologique de Napoléon III » (From Alesia to Rome, the archaeological adventures of Napoleon III) retraces the history of collections scattered across multiple different institutions.

On the hunt for imperial palaces

This trend dates back to the 19th century, when European countries raced to lay claim to endangered treasures and knowledge. Dig sites appeared from one end of the Italian peninsula to the other, fuelled by innovative tools and techniques. Maps, drawings, and photos were used to recreate an ancient society and then display that reality to the general public.

A panoply of rare pieces

The exhibition includes statues, weapons, moulds, and models, as well as copies of Greek artwork, Roman busts unearthed from the Farnese Gardens in the heart of the Eternal City, canvases from a series produced by the artist Layraud, a camera complete with glass plates dating back to the Second Empire, etchings, and ancient works on the history of Julius Caesar and his conquest of Gaul. A must-see event for fans of ancient Italian history!