Sèvres, une passion Rothschild. From Paris to the Villa Ephrussi - guided tour

Accompanied by an expert guide, visitors discover how Sèvres porcelain, born in the 18th century, deeply fascinated the Rothschild family. The exhibition Sèvres, une passion Rothschild. From Paris to the Villa Ephrussi traces this unique relationship, rooted in a European history of taste, collecting, and cultural transmission.

Bringing together for the first time the French National Manufactures - Sèvres & Mobilier national and the Académie des Beaux-Arts, the exhibition highlights the shared passion between a renowned family of collectors and an iconic manufactory active since 1740. Collectors, patrons, and philanthropists, the Rothschilds acquired, passed on, and sometimes donated masterpieces of Sèvres porcelain, many of which are now held in the world’s most prestigious public collections.

A central figure of the exhibition, Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild embodies this fascination with Sèvres porcelain. A collector and patron, she bequeathed her Villa on the French Riviera to the Académie des beaux-arts in 1934, transforming the Villa Ephrussi into an exceptional setting dedicated to the art of living, creativity, and cultural memory.

Through an immersive exhibition design, spectacular porcelains, previously unseen archives, and recreated interiors engage in dialogue with prestigious loans from the Louvre Museum, the Palace of Versailles, and major international collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Waddesdon Manor. This panorama reveals the scale of a shared taste spanning Paris, London, Vienna, Naples, and beyond.

The exhibition also addresses the darker chapters of history, marked by the spoliations suffered by the family in the 20th century, while highlighting the essential role the Rothschilds played in enriching museum collections and promoting access to beauty for a wider public.

At the crossroads of European history, family legacy, and French artisanal excellence, Sèvres: une passion Rothschild celebrates a rare encounter between an exceptional manufactory and a dynasty of collectors, united by a shared ideal of beauty.

Conceived as a moment of dialogue and deeper understanding, the guided tour allows visitors to fully appreciate the artistic, historical, and heritage richness of this shared passion for Sèvres porcelain.