Fantasy Asia

Stories of exoticism in the decorative arts in Provence in the 18th and 19th centuries

Due to its privileged position, Marseille has always been the crucible of multiple exchanges. If the European fascination with the Far East, India or the Ottoman Empire is well known from the 18th century, its manifestations in Provence are less so. It is this great attraction for Asian “exoticism” in Marseille and its region that the exhibition aims to highlight through more than 400 works of art coming from or inspired by a dreamed Asia, from Turkey to Japan.