When was the panoramic wallpaper created?

The Dufour manufactory produced it in 1829, during a period of renewed military-themed interior decoration following the Napoleonic campaigns.

What historical events does the wallpaper depict?

It shows the crossing of the Alps, the entry into Milan, the Battle of Arcole, the French presence in Rome, and the conquest of Naples.

Why is this wallpaper so scarce?

Military-themed panoramic wallpapers from the first half of the 19th century survive in very limited numbers; this example is nearly complete, missing only the final episode of the Naples campaign.

Château de Sardan

Sardan Castle

Sardan

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No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Sardan

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

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Château de Sardan stands in Sardan (Gard), in the Occitanie region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: second quarter of the 19th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

Built in the 18th century and enlarged in the 19th, Château de Sardan is notable for a mural decoration of exceptional rarity: a panoramic wallpaper commissioned from the Dufour manufactory in 1829. Titled 'The French in Italy', this thirty-panel narrative follows Bonaparte's Italian campaigns from the Alpine crossing to the capture of Naples. Executed in grisaille with blue accents for the sky, this panoramic wallpaper stands among the scarcest surviving examples of early 19th-century military-themed interior decoration, nearly complete except for the final section depicting the Naples campaign.

What to know

The building originated in the 18th century and underwent significant modifications during the 19th century.
The panoramic wallpaper, the focus of the historic monument classification, is located on the ground floor.
The wallpaper was produced by the renowned Paris-based Dufour manufactory, one of the leading producers of luxury wallpapers in the 19th century.

Where this château is

Sardan · Gard · Occitanie

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Sardan, Gard

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00135383
Period of construction: second quarter of the 19th century

In pictures

Frequently asked

When was the panoramic wallpaper created?: The Dufour manufactory produced it in 1829, during a period of renewed military-themed interior decoration following the Napoleonic campaigns.
What historical events does the wallpaper depict?: It shows the crossing of the Alps, the entry into Milan, the Battle of Arcole, the French presence in Rome, and the conquest of Naples.
Why is this wallpaper so scarce?: Military-themed panoramic wallpapers from the first half of the 19th century survive in very limited numbers; this example is nearly complete, missing only the final episode of the Naples campaign.