Le stanze Francesi

In the context of promoting and spreading French culture in Italy, the Alliance Française of Taranto, in partnership with Design for Everyday Life, champions a project that evokes the most prominent figures in the artistic, literary, musical, and scientific fields from the nineteenth century to the present.

During the staging of the major exhibition titled "The French Rooms," the Conservatory of Santa Maria della Misericordia, the headquarters of the Caracciolo De Sangro Foundation in Martina Franca, transforms into a museum where centuries and their protagonists coexist in aesthetic harmony, with the premise of opening up new intellectual horizons and educational experiences to the public. With contributions from fifty talented artists who collaborated on the individual exhibitions held between 2024 and 2025, the exhibit, conceived and curated by Elisabeth Vermeer, brings to life and puts into dialogue the great figures of French culture from different eras, such as Marcel Proust, the Impressionists, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Édouard Manet, Suzanne Valadon, Berthe Morisot, Adrienne Lecouvreur, Sarah Bernhardt, Gabrielle Sidonie Colette, Jean-François Millet, Camille Flammarion, Gabrielle Renaudot, Maurice Ravel, Eric Satie, Ida Rubinstein, Le Corbusier, and Gaspard Koenig, in a single exhibition path that unfolds in the Conservatory.

The vernissage is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, at 6:00 PM, opening with welcome remarks from the Cultural Activities Councillor of the Municipality of Martina Franca, Carlo Dilonardo, followed by contributions from Viviana Fasano, a highly knowledgeable figure of the Foundation, and Teresa Bosco, tireless philanthropist and President of the Alliance Française of Taranto. Curator Elisabeth Vermeer invites all present to visit the rooms that also recall the connection between the palace and Martina Franca itself with France.

The guided tour is accompanied by a poetic reading by and with Angela Berloco.

The project has obtained the sponsorship of the Municipality of Martina Franca and is carried out in collaboration with the Caracciolo De Sangro Foundation and the Liberuomo Association for Social Promotion. The Alliance Française of Taranto is the promoter of the initiative, supported by the UNESCO Club of Taranto, the Marco Motolese Association, and the Dante Alighieri Society of Taranto. Scientific coordination: Design for Everyday Life; Public Relations: Calliope Bureau Florence. Photography carried out by ArteDisegno, Genoa.

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Conservatory of Santa Maria della Misericordia
Vico Monacelle 1, Martina Franca

Exhibition visits are available daily from 10 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 7:30 PM.