Discovering the Arts | Les Portes de la Champagne Tourist Office

A land

of artists!

Come closer to the still too unknown treasures of the Gates of Champagne.

Rich with artists and works of art, our heritage takes you to different universes…

Historical, cultural or artistic, which only ask to be discovered and admired. Lean then on these last ones and appreciate the various works realized and exposed on our territory. Art lovers, you will be surprised by the richness of its proposals.

From a major figure of surrealism to the brushes of masters of French and Italian painting, through sculpture, you will (re)discover great names of art history.

©The Marne at the Gates of Champagne|E. Remond

©Sculpture by Achille Jacopin : The Payroll|J-L. Gwinner

©Sculpture of Léon Lhermitte in Mont-Saint-Père|Maison du Tourisme Les Portes de la Champagne - C. Debout

©Camille Claudel's Waltz at the Camille and Paul Claudel Museum|Maison du Tourisme Les Portes de la Champagne - C. Debout

The fables

illustrated

of Château-Thierry

The great Salvador Dali and Marc Chagall tried their hand, as did many artists, at depicting La Fontaine’s fables.

One with a surrealist tone, the other with a more mysterious point of view, both artists indulge in the fabulist’s universe in their own way. It is at the Jean de La Fontaine Museum that we can discover their work, signed.

There are two works by Salvador Dali: an illustration of a fable and a portrait of Jean de La Fontaine, caricatured by the artist’s spontaneous line, as well as 12 works by Marc Chagall are also on display.

The Russian artist brings us a vision more poetic than illustrative of the fables, less focused on their morals.

Discover

The paintings

of the castle of Condé

The Château de Condé, through the centuries, has managed to preserve its original decorations and has seen inscribed in its walls the works of famous painters such as Watteau, Servandoni, or Boucher.

It is in the art that lies part of the mystery of the castle.

During your visit, be patient and attentive, some of its paintings remain hidden for a long time. Some of them will be revealed to you during the visit, such as “The fiancée of the King of Garbe” by Antoine Watteau, a little-known work, even among lovers of the painter.

The castle then takes the form of a workshop for the illustrious Watteau and his students, who train in particular through the realization of frescoes in the antechamber. Numerous examples are presented to you during the visit.

Servandoni, renowned Italian architect and painter, realized in particular the decoration of the central lounge of the castle. He then made, up to the ceiling, a work in trompe l’oeil. The latter is presented in the form of a fresco but is actually worked on canvases fixed a few centimeters from the wall.

Finally, the beginnings of François Boucher are recorded in the dining room where this famous painter in the making participated in the decoration of the walls through mythological scenes.

Discover

©La Paye by Achille Jacopin in Château-Thierry|J-L. Gwinner

©Camille Claudel's Waltz at the Villeneuve-sur-Fère Museum|Maison du Tourisme Les Portes de la Champagne - B. Galloux

©The implorant of Camille Claudel at the museum of Villeneuve-sur-Fère|Maison du Tourisme Les Portes de la Champagne - C. Debout

©The Ghosts of Paul Landowski in Oulchy le Château|J-L. Gwinner

A land of inspiration

the sculptors

The Gates of Champagne also shines through its sculptors.

Under your eyes, in the streets of Château-Thierry, you will encounter the works of Achille Jacopin. The latter largely dedicates his talents to his native town, the city of fables.

His sculpture La Paie, an interpretation of Emile Zola’s Assomoir, can be seen on Rue Racine. The artist gives his city the version made of stone. This work is used, as far as the United States, to raise awareness of alcoholism.

Then go to the House of Camille and Paul Claudel in Villeneuve-sur-Fère to discover the work of Camille, a child of the Tardenois.

In Camille Claudel, we can guess, from the emotional charge of his works, and beyond the technical quality of sculptures, the influence of the very famous Auguste Rodin.

The house exhibits original works of the artist including a bust of Diane, but also copies such as L’Implorante or La Valse.

On the borders of our tourist area, in Oulchy-le-Château, it is Les Fantômes by Paul Landowski that dominate the landscape.

Paul Landowski, lived for some time in the south of the Aisne, in Chézy-sur-Marne, he is known for his monumental works and participated in the erection of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. In addition, he created Les Fantômes, a work that, through its presence, raises the fallen fighters of the First World War.

Even today

art, always

After turning to the riches of the past, you might want to discover contemporary art. The Ouverture gallery, Grande Rue, and the Silo U1, rue Paul Doucet, both in Château-Thierry, offer temporary art exhibitions, free of charge.

Other cultural venues in turn offer exhibitions. To contemplate them, remember to check our website regularly, which brings together every event taking place in the Portes de la Champagne.