Paris, France — With the last king came the last coronation in France. Charles X succeeded his two brothers, Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, ascending to the throne in 1824 and tried to ensure the concrete continuation of the monarchy more than 30 years after the French Revolution. Things didn’t work out so well although he was crowned in Reims in a lavish ceremony in 1825, 200 years ago. The ceremony was spectacular, akin only to the coronations of the British monarchy. But the French found the outdated ceremony and high cost somewhat difficult to accept. He was overthrown by the July Revolution in 1830 and Charles X died in exile in 1836. But the coronation, the last, lives on.

For that lavish coronation has become the object of a stunning exhibition and richly illustrated catalogue taking place in Paris, which are apparently proving to be more popular with the public perhaps than Charles X himself. The show plunges the visitor into the preparations for this ceremony that was to be the very last of France’s coronation ceremonies. The ceremonial clothing, the carriage, the decorations, the rites and rituals, the royal feast and diplomatic gifts are all recounted at The Mobilier National, a former furniture storage unit for the monarchy created in 1663 by Louis XIV and Colbert, and which is currently in charge of the furniture of the official palaces of the Republic: Palais de l’Elsyée and the cabinet ministries. Many of the treasures on display in the exhibition emanate from the vast collections of The Mobilier National. The works on display showcase the excellence of French arts and crafts during the period, known as The Restoration, with jewelers, embroiderers, tapestry makers and sculptors demonstrating their ingeniousness.

But before the king can be crowned, a king must die. Louis XVIII renounced having a coronation ceremony given the political context of the time. The Count of Artois, who would become Charles X, however decided to go ahead with the celebrations and upon the death of Louis XVIII the famous cry of « The king is dead; long live the king, » could be heard once again in France. Coronation organizers had to scramble around to find out what in fact needed to be done since the last coronation, that of Louis XVI, had taken place 50 years earlier in 1775. The kings of France were for the most part crowned in the Cathedral of Reims, 82 miles (131 kilometres) east of Paris, so a journey also had to be organized as well, a lavish journey at that. A grand golden carriage was built for the trip which included five additional carriages preceded and followed by 179 horses that entered Reims on May 28th, 1825. The cortege would form up again on June 6th for the solemn return of the king to Paris. The richly trimmed harness for the coronation carriage in gold thread, velvet and silk is on loan from the château de Versailles. The Centre des monuments nationaux (the adminitration that manages France’s national monuments) and the Louvre also loaned exceptional pieces for the show along with descendants of the royal families of France and collectors.

The coronation show, which was curated by French journalist and royalty expert Stéphane Bern and designed by the celebrated French interior designer Jacques Garcia, is on until July 20th but The Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins is worth a visit in and of itself. The Manufacture’s history dates back to the 15th century and it has occupied the current site since the 17th century. Guided tours are available. Production in the workshops has never stopped with the craft men and women continuing to produce today for state commissions. The collections consist of some 200,000 pieces and the workshops, weaving and dyeing, are still in activity, engaging in the same craft techniques as they have for centuries. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. 42 avenue des Gobelins, 75013 Paris, France. Tel: + 33 (0)1 44 08 53 49. mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr