A monumental 23-meter-long tapestry honoring George Sand debuted at the Musée Bertrand in Châteauroux on September 25, 2026. Requiring 8,000 hours of labor in the Aubusson workshops, the exhibition brings the author’s literary legacy back to her home territory through a striking wave-mounted display.
The monumental tribute to the celebrated author arrives in the Indre region following an initial summer showcase at the Cité internationale de la tapisserie in Aubusson. Crafted from an original design by artist Françoise Pétrovitch, the massive textile installation required nearly 8,000 hours of meticulous work within the manufacture Robert-Four workshops in Aubusson. The completed artwork measures 23 meters in length, weighs 125 kilograms, and incorporates a diverse palette of violet and blue wools and threads.
Visitors stepping into the exhibition space encounter a continuous visual journey. The composition features the author’s likeness smoking a cigarette against a pink background, reclining in a verdant landscape, and flowing through marshy waterways where the threads mimic the movement of liquid. Nearby displays include puppet collections evoking the author’s circle of friends in Nohant, exhibited alongside four original watercolors by Françoise Petrovitch.
Morissette said that there are 30 different colors in the purples and blues, noting that it is entirely worthy of the work done in past centuries, found in tapestries, châteaux, and everywhere else.
Museum Installation and Architectural Adaptations at Musée Bertrand
Transported by truck to Châteauroux, the massive textile required two intensive days of installation by museum staff working under the direction of Alice Bernadac, conservatrice de la Cité internationale de la Tapisserie à Aubusson. The display utilizes a specially engineered 13-meter-long wave structure.
Museum director David Pujos explained the curatorial choice for this specific venue layout.
David Pujos said that they chose the wave-shaped structure because it was the one best suited to their exhibition hall.
The installation process required seven to eight people to unroll and secure the textile via Velcro attachments along the wave frame in a two-hour operation. By rearranging certain sections of the structural framework, organizers allowed visitors to examine the reverse side of the weaving. David Pujos praised the craftsmanship, noting that the quality of the threads produces an extraordinary visual result.
Emotional Resonance and the Natural Landscapes of Berry
Rather than recounting straightforward historical facts, the artwork translates emotions, admirations, and recognitions into woven form. Pétrovitch sought to bridge historical legacy with contemporary identity through her artistic choices.
Natural elements serve as the primary unifying thread of the exhibition. Angelina Viré, a mediator at the museum, noted that flowing water features prominently throughout the textile, paying homage to the Indre and Creuse rivers that profoundly influenced the author’s regional writings.
Exhibition Schedule and Public Access in Châteauroux
The free exhibition opened to the public on Saturday, September 26, 2026, following a private vernissage. The museum confirmed that the exhibition area reopened to visitors on Sunday, September 27.
The temporary display remains accessible free of charge through October 25, before traveling onward for its next scheduled exhibition in Bourges beginning November 1.
