Le Chant du Monde by Jean Lurçat - Back in Aubusson, 60 Years Later

For the first time, Jean Lurçat’s monumental tapestry cycle The Song of the World (Le Chant du Monde) returns to Aubusson—the very place where it was woven between 1957 and 1966 in the town’s historic workshops.

Presented at the Cité internationale de la tapisserie from 4 April to 1 November 2026, this exceptional exhibition marks a double anniversary: the 60th anniversary of the death of Jean Lurçat (1892–1966), the leading figure in the revival of tapestry in the twentieth century, and the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Cité internationale de la tapisserie. The Song of the World will be the first major tapestry cycle to be exhibited in the Cité’s new galleries dedicated to temporary exhibitions.

Conceived by the artist as his artistic "testament," The Song of the World is a powerful and remarkably relevant work. Through ten monumental tapestries, Jean Lurçat reflects on the future of humanity, confronting the threats of war, destruction and mass violence while expressing a profound belief in humankind’s ability to restore harmony with the world.

The Song of the World consists of ten tapestries designed by Jean Lurçat and woven entirely in Aubusson, primarily by the Tabard Frères et Sœurs workshop. Yet, despite its origins, the complete cycle has never before been exhibited in the town. Its return to Aubusson—the home of the master weavers who brought it to life—therefore represents a landmark cultural event. For the first time, the work is reunited with the place of its creation.

The exhibition also offers a renewed opportunity to highlight the close dialogue between Jean Lurçat’s artistic vision and the exceptional craftsmanship of the Aubusson workshops, whose tapestry-making expertise has been inscribed since 2009 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It will also provide a moving reunion, as two of the master weavers who took part in weaving the tapestries will encounter the completed work once again, sixty years after its creation.

A Partnership for the Future Between the Cities of Angers and Aubusson

The presentation of The Song of the World in Aubusson, made possible through a landmark partnership with the City of Angers, reaffirms the Cité internationale de la tapisserie's essential role as a centre for creation, preservation and transmission. At the same time, Angers will present the Aubusson Weaves Tolkien tapestry series.

This project is part of a long-term collaboration between these two major centres of tapestry, building on previous partnerships in education and exhibitions dedicated to contemporary creation. Through this exchange, Angers and Aubusson reaffirm a shared ambition: to bring tapestry to the widest possible audience by fostering dialogue between heritage and contemporary creation, tradition and innovation, history and popular culture.