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With the “Bonaparte and Egypt” exhibition, the Institut du Monde Arabe is bringing together two legends that still remain deeply rooted in our collective unconscious: the legends of Napoleon and pharaonic Egypt. One concerns an ambitious young general involved in politics and public administration, and the other an ancient civilization which, in all its originality and aesthetics, has continued to fascinate anyone who draws near. 

The exhibition aims to take a fresh look at the relations between France and Egypt in the 19th century, particularly following Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt between 1798 and 1801. This historic encounter serves as an opportunity for viewing artistic exchanges from multiple perspectives.

Focused on the “Expedition” itself, the exhibition covers an entire century of relations between Egypt and France, symbolically book-ended by two dates: the 1769 births of Napoleon Bonaparte and King Muhammad Ali, Egypt’s first modernizer, and the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869.
The birth of Egyptology, “retro-Egyptian” style, publication of La Description de l’Egypte, the rapid development of Orientalism: Egypt’s influence in France dominated throughout this period just as France’s role was decisive in Egypt’s transition to modernity.


Scenography

To meet the exhibition’s needs, the Institut du Monde Arabe created a joint Franco-Egyptian scientific committee, composed of the two countries’ top experts. It is through this double lens that the public has an opportunity to discover some 400 works of arts and artefacts on loan from the greatest Egyptian, American and European museums, evidence of a reciprocal fascination.