Power, Passion and the Palace
This summer, treasures from the Palace of Versailles will be on display for the first time in Australia at the National Gallery.
The exhibition will be on show in Canberra from December 9, 2016 until April 17, 2017.
More than 130 paintings, intricate tapestries, gilded furniture, statues and objects from the Royal gardens will bring to life the reigns of three kings, their queens and mistresses from this sumptuous and tumultuous period in French history.
“We are delighted to bring the grandeur of the culture of Versailles exclusively to Canberra and make it possible for all Australians to access and appreciate the social, political and cultural aspects of this unique phenomenon,” said Dr Gerard Vaughan, Director of the National Gallery of Australia.
“If ever absolute power could be expressed through unbridled opulence, this is it.”
The exhibition will celebrate the lives, loves and passions of the period through a full program of activities including music performances, children’s programs and public events.
“Along with astonishing treasures such as the marble bust of Louis XIV and the glamorous formal portrait of Marie-Antoinette, we are bringing to Australia the entire 1.5 tonne statue of Latona and her children from one of the main fountains of the Palace of Versailles,” added Dr Vaughan.
“The authenticity of this cultural experience will leave a lasting imprint on all our visitors. We are thrilled to be working with Versailles to bring a truly astonishing exhibition exclusively to Canberra.”
Some of the treasures on display include small personal items such as the precious golden ‘reliquary’ (a small shrine to hold holy relics) which belonged to Louis XIV’s mother, Marie-Antoinette’s hand-crafted chair and harp, six-metre tapestries from the most important Gobelins series ever produced for Louis XIV and a monumental conversation piece of the Sourches family which requires individual freight.
Versailles: Treasures from the Palace opens at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra on Friday 9 December 2016. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketek: http://bit.ly/29Otk93
New High-Tech Tourism Attraction Opens in Darwin
The bombing of Darwin Harbour has been brought to life by a new multi-million dollar tourism attraction.
The new facility uses cutting-edge technology to provide never-before-seen virtual reality and holographic experiences.
“There is no doubt this fantastic new tourism attraction is world-class; some of the technology is so advanced, it’s the first time it’s ever been used,” said Tourism NT CEO, Tony Mayell.
“Visitors will be transported back in time to Darwin on 19 February 1942 and experience what it was like on that fateful day. With the launch of this new tourism attraction we are telling visitors around the world: If you want to learn more about Australia’s war history – the Northern Territory is the place to come.
“Military tourism is a growing trend with more and more people visiting war memorials, exhibitions and events in Australia and around the world.”