Special Programmes for "Virtually Versailles" Exhibition
Talks
Unless otherwise stated, all special programmes are conducted in Cantonese and are free of charge. The Museum makes no representations on the content of the programmes. For special arrangements under inclement weather conditions, please click here for details. Programmes are subject to change and cancellation without prior notice. For enquiries, please call 2180 8260.
Kings and Queens of the Palace of Versailles Talk Series — The Making of Versailles under King Louis XIV
Versailles is one of the most famous palaces in Europe. When it was built for the Sun King in 1660s, it epitomized the grandeur of the Bourbon King, and since then its patron and his large home have been admired and imitated globally. The priceless gold, jewels, solid silver furniture and glistening glass chandeliers exemplify the rich culture and splendor of Versailles. Together, they also stand for the master craftsmen who came from all over Europe to work on this celebrated Gesamtkunstwerk (combined artwork) and made France the art and luxury capitol of the world.
This lecture will show you a journey through the Splendor of Versailles palace under Louis XIV and discover the taste of the Sun King!
| Date | 22 April 2023 (Sat) |
| Time | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
| Venue | Theatre, 1/F |
| Speakers | Dr Florian Knothe Associate Professor and Museum Director at The University of Hong Kong Miss Patricia Zilkha Art Historian, Gemologist and Lecturer at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts |
| Language | English |
| Enrolment | Registration needed. Limited seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration begins on 8 April: Link |
Digital Humanity Talk Series — From Medieval Manuscripts to the Versailles Hall of Mirrors: The Promises and Problems of the Digital Space
The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles has long been a famous symbol of opulence and the grandeur of the French monarchy. But though its expensive and carefully-crafted mirrors promise a perfect reflection, they necessarily reflect a distorted version of reality. In our own digital age, the ‘mirror of the world' that is offered to us by virtual representations faces these same problems. Virtual versions of historical objects promise reality, but necessarily distort what they display to us.
This talk will present some magnificent examples of digitised historical objects from medieval to modern France, and will demonstrate how the digital space lets us explore and understand these objects. At the same time, it will consider how the virtual world influences and limits our perceptions of physical objects from history.
| Date | 6 May 2023 (Sat) |
| Time | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
| Venue | Theatre, 1/F |
| Speaker | Dr Anya Adair Assistant Professor and Programme Director of Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Digital Technologies at The University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English |
| Enrolment | Registration needed. Limited seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration begins on 22 April: Link |
| Live streaming platform | French May facebook channel |
Digital Humanity Talk Series — Digital Cultural Heritage: being there here, being here there
Since the 1980's Prof. Jeffrey Shaw has been pioneering immersive interactive artworks that incorporate tangible and intangible cultural heritage as their subject matter. This involves developing new interface modalities for interaction such as his famous bicycle in THE LEGIBLE CITY (1989). It also involves developing highly innovative immersive projection environments such as the EVE dome (1993) and 360-degree panoramas such as PLACE (since 1995).
These are techniques and aesthetics whereby he engages people in the embodied experience of digital humanities. In his presentation Prof. Shaw will describe some of these award-winning works and show how they influenced the design of Nature Time.
| Date | 20 May 2023 (Sat) |
| Time | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
| Venue | Theatre, 1/F |
| Speaker | Mr Jeffrey Shaw Chair Professor of Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University |
| Language | English |
| Enrolment | Registration needed. Limited seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration begins on 6 May: Link |
| Live streaming platform | French May facebook channel |
From Baroque to Neoclassicism — the Artistic Styles of Versailles
After graduated from the Department of Fine Arts of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Dr Tommy Chan dedicated himself to studying the humanities, Chinese language and literature, applied linguistics. He has been a full-time lecturer at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education since 2005. Over the years, besides teaching language, he has had a deep interest in European history, language and the history of Western art, and has an in-depth understanding of the development of Western art from the Renaissance to the 19th century.
In this lecture, Dr Tommy Chan and Dr Raymond Tang, our curator, will tell you the stories behind the architecture, paintings and sculptures in the Palace of Versailles. They will also walk you through the development of art styles from the Baroque to Neoclassicism in the context of French history and culture.
| Date | 11 June 2023 (Sun) |
| Time | 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm |
| Venue | Theatre, 1/F |
| Speakers | Dr Tommy Chan Lecturer at Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education Dr Raymond Tang Curator (Art) of Hong Kong Heritage Museum |
| Enrolment | No registration needed. Audiences will be admitted 15 minutes before the programme commences. Limited seats on a first-come, first-served basis. |
Kings and Queens of the Palace of Versailles Talk Series — The Taste of Marie-Antoinette: Fashion, Jewels and Furniture
Famous for her extravagance, Queen Marie-Antoinette is a controversial figure in French History. Embraced by her subjects as a teenager, admired first for her beauty and complexion, she was insulted by the time of the French Revolution, in 1789. Legend has it, this hatred found its beginnings in her frivolous taste for fashion and a certain scandal linked to a Necklace… What was the queen's style then? What important tradesman and milliners supplied her with new trinkets or accessories and what is to be discover behind this lavish lifestyle?
This lecture will offer you an intimate journey through Versailles and the Queen's apartments, in order to grasp the extend of her ultimate elegance and her jewellery collection, now one of the most legendary in the world.
| Date | 24 June 2023 (Sat) |
| Time | 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
| Venue | Theatre, 1/F |
| Speakers | Miss Laure Raibaut Curator, Art Historian and Lecturer at L'ECOLE, School of Jewelry Arts Miss Mathilde Rondouin Art Historian and Lecturer at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts |
| Language | English |
| Enrolment | Registration needed. Limited seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration begins on 10 June: Link |
Film Screening
Unless otherwise stated, all film screenings are free of charge. The Museum makes no representations on the content of the programmes. For special arrangements under inclement weather conditions, please click here for details. Programmes are subject to change and cancellation without prior notice.
My Life in Versailles
Orphan, Violette 8 years old, goes to live with her uncle Régis, who works as a cleaning agent in Versailles castle. Shy, Violette hates him; she thinks he stinks, she then decides that she won't speak a word to him. In the backyard of the Sun King, the stubborn girl and the big bear will tame each other.
| Date | 14, 21 May (Sun) and 3 June 2023 (Sat) |
| Time | 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm |
| Location | 1/F Theatre |
| Language | In French with English subtitles |
| Enrolment | Audiences will be admitted 15 minutes before the programme commences. Limited seats on a first come, first serve basis. |
Versailles - The Visit
This film opens the doors of the Palace of Versailles and invites you on a private tour. You will understand the history of the palace. You will discover the masterpieces it houses. You will follow the most complete itinerary imaginable, the one that only a film allows you to discover in an hour: from the gardens to the royal flats and the Hall of Mirrors, from the Petit Trianon to the Royal Chapel and the Opera.
| Date | 14 May 2023 (Sun) |
| Time | 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm |
| Location | 1/F Theatre |
| Language | In English with no subtitles |
| Enrolment | Audiences will be admitted 15 minutes before the programme commences. Limited seats on a first come, first serve basis. |
Versailles - The Palace
This documentary reveals the secrets and hidden treasures of the Palace of Versailles. The humble abode of three French kings and extravagant personalities such as Marie-Antoinette, this icon of French luxury opens its doors and exposes its treasures. Offering magnificent shots; in and around the palace and scintillating discussions with prominent intellectuals, this documentary provides a unique and exclusive invitation to discover a truly wondrous example of the outer limits of architectural capacity.
| Date | 21 May (Sun) and 3 June 2023 (Sat) |
| Time | 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm |
| Location | 1/F Theatre |
| Language | In French with English subtitles |
| Enrolment | Audiences will be admitted 15 minutes before the programme commences. Limited seats on a first come, first serve basis. |
All the content of works are independently produced by the organiser / creative team, and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
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