10.03.2026-02.07.2027
Liotard & Marie-Antoinette, visages sous enquête
In 1762, Jean-Étienne Liotard (1702–1789) created portraits of the children of Maria Theresa of Austria, including the future Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. The MAH, which houses the definitive collection of works by this Geneva-based artist, is exhibiting all eleven drawings. The exhibition offers a glimpse into recent research on the exact identities of these subjects and the journey these works have taken over time.
Conducted in partnership with the University of Oxford, the University of Lausanne, and the Idiap research institute, this research combines traditional archival work with cutting-edge technology. The exhibition demonstrates how the examination of historical documents can be combined with forensic science methods and artificial intelligence tools to bring 18th-century works to life. It offers an opportunity to discover the many facets of the museum’s activities and to take a fresh look at the faces of history, especially as a new piece joins the collection and will be shown for the first time: the portrait of François-Étienne de Lorraine (1708–1765), Holy Roman Emperor, husband of Maria Theresa, and father of the children, recently acquired thanks to the generosity of the Society of Friends of the Museum.
Image
Image
Jean-Étienne Liotard, Portrait de Marie-Antoinette, archiduchesse d’Autriche, future reine de France (1755-1793), 1762
Sanguine, pierre noire, graphite, lavis rouge ; 33,2 x 24,6 mm
Dépôt de la Confédération suisse, Office fédéral de la culture, Fondation Gottfried Keller, Berne, 1947 ; inv. 1947-0041
© MAH, photo : F. Bevilacqua