"As I contemplate my collection of headdresses, I get an exhilarating feeling of travelling around the world, like a journey without moving. – Antoine de Galbert, collector.
From the 6th of June 2019 to the 23rd of August 2020, the Musée des Confluences dips into the fascinating world of headdresses.
After working as a gallery owner in Grenoble, Antoine de Galbert moved to Paris in the 2000s, where he opened an exhibition space at ‘la maison rouge’. A collector at heart, he continually expanded his collection, with paintings, drawings, photographs, religious objects, tribal art and... headdresses!
After 30 years, his collection included more than 500 headdresses of all sorts, made of various materials: feathers, hair, wood, fabric, pearls, precious metals, with diverse shapes and colours.
In 2018, ‘la maison rouge’ closed and the collection was entrusted to the Musée des Confluences.
For the exhibition ‘Headdresses from around the World’, 334 headdresses are being displayed. It is an opportunity to delve into their origins and understand why they are part of the collection, how Antoine de Galbert came into their possession, and which materials were used to make them.
Visitors are taken on a journey out of Europe, to meet other cultures and rituals, from Asia to Africa, Oceania, America and the Near and Middle East.
This is a collection built on passion and encounters. It is a collection based on an accessory that can be found all over the world, and whose function changes depending on location, beliefs and stages of life. Each headdress plays a role and the exhibition invites visitors to explore our world's huge cultural diversity, past and present.
Be prepared for a journey!
Admission to the Musée des Confluences and its exhibitions is included in the Lyon City Card
Laureen is sociability incarnate (yes, now you know that sociability has bangs). Always pleasant with a smile on her face, she likes being around other people (who also feel the same) and sharing her top tips for the best places to be!