Exhibition by Juliana Dorso. The Marquise de Sévigné and the Postman Cheval

Museum Overview

To mark the 400th anniversary of Madame de Sévigné's birth, the Palais Idéal du facteur Cheval presents a unique exhibition by the artist Juliana Dorso dedicated to the imaginary encounter between two great figures who have marked the Drôme.

To mark the 400th anniversary of Madame de Sévigné's birth, the Palais Idéal du facteur Cheval presents a unique exhibition by the artist Juliana Dorso dedicated to the imaginary encounter between two great figures who have marked the territory of the Drôme and far beyond: the Marquise de Sévigné and Ferdinand Cheval.
The title of the exhibition 140 years and one day: this is what separates the death of Madame de Sévigné, on April 18, 1696, from the birth of Ferdinand Cheval, on April 19, 1836.

The result of extensive research, the project draws on a deep understanding of Madame de Sévigné's work and life. Juliana Dorso studied her entire correspondence and, with her artistic van named Alain.e, traveled to the places that shaped her life in order to capture the richness of a thought, a writing style, and a world that rank among the most remarkable of the 17th century.

Through fifteen paintings, some of them very large, the artist constructs a visual narrative that creates a dialogue between the Grand Siècle (the 17th century in France) and the unique world of Ferdinand Cheval. The works evoke the landscapes of Grignan, historical figures, literary references, everyday objects, imagined architecture, and traces left by writing. Words play a central role: quotations, fragments of letters, and inscriptions are directly integrated into the paintings and fully participate in the composition of the works.

The exhibition invites visitors to rediscover Madame de Sévigné not only as a historical figure, but as a major creative force whose work continues to inspire contemporary literature. In contrast, Ferdinand Cheval also emerges as a builder-artist who dedicated his life to creating a comprehensive body of work. From painting to painting, correspondences, echoes, and parallels reveal unexpected affinities between the art of words and the art of stone.

Drawing on the great models of history painting, particularly those of the 17th century, the exhibition blends erudition, imagination, and narrative. It creates a dialogue between centuries, disciplines, and forms of creation to offer a sensitive journey through the world of Madame de Sévigné and that of Ferdinand Cheval.

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