L'expérience de la nature : Les arts à Prague à la cour de Rodolphe II
Auteur(s) : Olivia Savatier, Philippe Malgouyres (dir.)
Exhibition at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, 19 March - 30 June 2025
The end of the 16th century saw the emergence of a new way of looking at nature, one that sought to measure and describe the world with precision and accuracy. A great patron of the arts and sciences, Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612) was one of the European sovereigns most enthusiastic about the study of nature. He brought scientists and artists from all over Europe to his court, and they worked in close proximity to each other within the castle walls, turning Prague into a veritable laboratory, a place for experimentation, in a climate of intellectual and religious tolerance.
The Emperor was also a fervent collector of scientific instruments that were as aesthetically pleasing as they were innovative, supporting major discoveries in optics and astronomy. The imperial collection also contained some of the most famous natural science illustrations ever produced.
This exhibition catalogue highlights a selection of almost ninety major works: drawings, objets d'art, paintings, sculptures and prints, as well as books and scientific instruments. It shows how the convergence of different approaches to nature, both scientific and artistic, contributed to the renewal of artistic creation at the court of Rudolf II.
