In the centenary year of the start of the First World War, Sir John Soane's Museum presents Peace Breaks Out! (20 June – 13 September) an exhibition focusing on the summer of 1814, when Europe celebrated peace after the Treaty of Paris following the fall of Napoleon.
Displaying over 100 rare pieces from the museum and private collections, the exhibition will explore this pivotal moment in the history of Europe, through the eyes of its contemporaries. Pieces on show include celebratory paintings and prints created for the festivities held in London and across the United Kingdom to mark the Treaty; drawings of Paris demonstrating the architectural changes that took place under Napoleon's government; Sir John Soane's collection of Napoleonica – objects belonging to Napoleon and his closest collaborators; and a quirky, satirical depiction of Englishmen visiting Paris, as seen by the French.
Dr Jerzy J. Kierkuć-Bieliński, Exhibitions Curator at Sir John Soane's Museum, explains:
“The Peace of 1814 and the subsequent congress of Vienna in 1815, after the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, laid the geo-political framework of the European Empires that would dominate the Continent and much of the globe up to the outbreak of the First World War. The Allies who celebrated the signing of the Treaty as guests of the Prince Regent in London, would, almost exactly one hundred years later face each on the battlefields of Europe – this time as enemies. In many ways, to understand the origins of the First World War, one has to look at the events of 1814 and the false promise of lasting peace that it offered”.
Historian Alexander Rich, co-curator, comments:
‘We are now as far away from the outbreak of the First World War as the protagonists of that conflict were from the Peace Celebrations of 1814. This exhibition looks for the first time at a very specific time in the artistic production of Europe, and offers a different, perhaps hidden perspective, on the events that have shaped the world as we know it today'.
Peace Breaks Out! In the Breakfast Room
Drawing inspiration from the exhibition Sir John Soane's Museum, working with Spitalfields Life, presents this accompanying display Peace Breaks Out! In the Breakfast Room. The Soane and its collection continues to engage artists and inspire creativity. It is in this spirit that six contemporary artists, whose work is inspired by the culturally vibrant city of London, offer their 21st-century interpretations of the Peace of 1814 and of the Regency and Parisian fashions that were so celebrated that year. The six artists are Adam Dant, Romilly Saumarez Smith, Laura Knight, Alice Pattullo, Bridie Hall and Paul Bommer.
For more details, see the website.
Langue(s) : English