Exposition I François 1er, un roi cognaçais

At the crossroads of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Cognac experienced a period of splendor and prosperity when the Valois d'Angoulême family settled in the town in the mid-15th century.
The city’s defensive castle became a seigneurial residence, the birthplace of the great Renaissance sovereign: François I!
This exhibition showcases the link between Cognac and the King of France, a link that over time was eclipsed by the international renown of the liqueur of the Gods.
Discover the importance of the court of Cognac from the late Middle Ages onwards, both artistically and intellectually, as well as the relationship that Francis I maintained with the town during his reign (League of Cognac, visits to Cognac…).
Part of the exhibition also highlights the construction of the sovereign’s image as part of the national novel created by 19th-century historians and supported by painters.
An exhibition of major works on loan from leading museums:
– Musée d’Ecouen national museum of the Renaissance
– The Louvre
– Bibliothèque nationale de France BNF
– Château de Pau
– The fine arts museums of Tours, Rennes, Orléans & the Musée de l’Armée