From the mountains of Sichuan to the gardens of Malmaison: the history of the Chinese rose in France, between the search for Chinese otherness and the construction of a French identity

Conference by Diane Margeri, a graduate of the École Normale Supérieure, specializing in history and geography, and a senior civil servant, having worked in the field of urban planning and heritage.

This conference will explore the specific characteristics of Chinese roses, in connection with the art of the Chinese garden, and their discovery by Europeans in the 17th and 18th centuries. It will also examine the transfer of these roses to Europe and France, their reception, and their impact, particularly from a botanical, cultural, and economic perspective. The conference will describe the unique influence of the Chinese rose on French horticultural roses. Finally, it will emphasize the legacy of Joséphine de Beauharnais's passion for roses, especially Chinese roses, embodied in the rose garden at Malmaison. This imperial passion fostered a spirit of emulation among rose growers and stimulated creativity, giving rise to modern French roses, rose gardens, and a whole new conception of garden design in France.

The discussion, far from being anecdotal, will highlight the importance of the Chinese rose and its role at a pivotal moment in the history of gardens and landscapes in France.