Musée du Chablais
THONON-LES-BAINS
Description
Permanent exhibition “A Leap Through Time: 7,000 Years of Chablais History.”
It is a true “time capsule” spanning 7,000 years of history. From the Neolithic era to the Annexation of 1860, visitors leap from one era to the next and discover the unique characteristics of the Chablais region.
Located in the heart of Europe, the Chablais is a region of transit, situated along the route through the Alpine passes and toward Italy, bordered by Lake Geneva—sometimes a connecting link, sometimes a border. It has been shaped by Roman culture, the rise of the Duchy of Savoy, the Wars of Religion, and the emergence of nation-states.
The Chablais also comes to life through the eyes of artists. Works from the late 18th century to the 21st century evoke the fascination that painters, engravers, and writers felt for Lake Geneva and its surroundings.
More than 130 objects tell this historical story. They illustrate the richness and diversity of the museum’s collections.
Temporary exhibition “Portrait: From Painting to the Selfie, the Art of (Re)presenting Oneself.”
Through the Musée du Chablais’s collection of portraits—paintings, drawings, and photographs—the exhibition invites you to discover how people have represented themselves over time, right up to the era of social media.
From formal portraits to intimate ones, from self-portraits to selfies, the forms have evolved, but the underlying issues remain. The relationship between the artist, the subject, and the viewer is examined, while the social, familial, and commemorative functions of the portrait are explored.
An exploration of the portrait through art history, inviting reflection on how we construct, display, and perceive our images.
