A Painter of Ruins

Hubert Robert (1733-1808) has come down as a painter of ruins and landscapes and one of the 18th century’s greatest creators of poetic images. Witty and urbane with an endlessly enquiring mind, Hubert Robert was a true man of the Enlightenment. He followed a remarkable artistic path that led him from Rome in the mid-18th century to the court of France, where he produced some of the most spectacular decors in the brilliant decade that preceded the French Revolution.  The work of this visionary artist was both eclectic and deeply coherent. It encompassed a broad range of genres: poetic landscapes, imaginary urban views inspired by architectural capricci, archaeological studies, remarkable and innovative designs for gardens and palatial decorations. This aspect is at the heart of the exhibition devoted to this artist. The exhibition presents an exceptional and varied selection of some 140 works including drawings, paintings, sketches, engravings, monumental paintings, large decorative works, and furniture.