The Navy and Painters. Four Centuries of Art and Power

Focus on the painters who, over three centuries, have sublimated the maritime world

To mark the 400th anniversary of the French Navy in 2026, the National Maritime Museum is organising a huge exhibition dedicated to the painters who documented French maritime history between the 17th and 20th centuries. Claude Lorrain, Claude-Joseph Vernet, Edouard Manet and Marin-Marie are among the artists who have immortalised the maritime world. This exhibition, featuring around 150 works, highlights the relationship between art, power and the maritime world and explores the links between the Navy and painters. It also traces the major artistic movements from classicism to the avant-garde of the 20th century in dialogue with political, technical and aesthetic changes. This exhibition also emphasises the artistic impact of new relationships with the marine world, from the rise of recreational boating to sea bathing. Open to the public from 13 May 2026.