On Monday, September 14, Prince Albert II of Monaco visited the Petit Palais in Paris alongside Emmanuel Grégoire, the mayor of Paris, to tour the exhibition "Éva Gonzalès: Parcours d’une artiste libre". Running from September 15, 2026, to January 24, 2027, the exhibition showcases the life and career of the French artist of Monegasque descent.
Born in 1847 and passing away prematurely at the age of 34 in 1883, Éva Gonzalès occupies a significant place in art history. She was the daughter of the serial novelist Emmanuel Gonzalès (1815–1887), whose bust is located in the Saint-Martin gardens. Her family descended from a Spanish lineage established in Monaco in the early 17th century, during a period when a Spanish king's garrison defended the sovereignty of Monaco on the Rock.
The Princely Collections include roughly ten pictorial works by Éva Gonzalès, while the Palace Archives preserve a collection of family documents testifying to this history. As an important lender to the Paris exhibition, the Sovereign has helped enable the public to rediscover the trajectory and work of the late artist. Following its run in the French capital, an adapted version of the exhibition is scheduled to travel to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in the spring of 2027.
Photo Credits: Joséphine Brueder / Ville de Paris