Metropolitan Museum Opened King Louis XIV Carpet Exhibit

The exhibition showcases rare Savonnerie carpets originally commissioned for the Louvre's Grande Galerie.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Fine Art

Screen-print poster illustration of a detailed 17th-century floral carpet with scrolling acanthus patterns, rendered in a warm, limited color palette. — The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled a new exhibition featuring Savonnerie carpets originally commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1668. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has opened a new exhibition titled A King's Carpet: Louis XIV and the Savonnerie. The display features surviving textiles from an ambitious 1668 commission designed for the Louvre's massive 480-yard Grande Galerie.

Why it matters

King Louis XIV ordered these 92 intricate textiles to showcase his wealth and technical prowess to visitors. The project remained incomplete after the monarch shifted his focus and resources toward the development of Versailles.

The Savonnerie Manufactory produced 13 carpets for the Apollo Gallery prior to the Grande Galerie project. The exhibition includes one piece mounted on a wall to provide a unique viewing perspective.

The players

King Louis XIV

The French monarch famously known as the Sun King who reigned from 1643 to 1715 and prioritized architectural and artistic displays of power.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Located in New York City, this institution is one of the world's largest and most significant art museums.

The details

Displayed in the Wrightsman Period Rooms, the exhibit examines how young children and orphans with agile fingers wove these elaborate works. Although the carpets were meant for the Grande Galerie, the full set was never installed in the hall as intended.

King Louis XIV commissioned the Savonnerie project in 1668.
The 11th carpet was gifted to Siamese ambassadors in 1685.
Samuel H. Kress purchased a Grande Galerie carpet in 1949.
The exhibition opened on September 23, 2026.
The exhibit will remain on view until March 5, 2028.

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Industry Dynamics

This exhibition highlights the historical intersection of monarchical power and luxury craft production in 17th-century France. By studying these textiles, curators provide insight into the massive scale of royal decor projects that predated the shift toward Versailles.

Visitors can view these historical textiles in person within the museum's Wrightsman Period Rooms through the spring of 2028. The exhibition provides a rare opportunity to see a wall-mounted carpet, allowing a different perspective than traditional floor-based displays.

The takeaway

The history of the Grande Galerie carpets serves as a reminder of how shifts in royal patronage and political priorities often altered grand architectural visions. Visitors should take note of the intricate weaving techniques employed by the artisans to achieve such high-status designs.