Materializing France in exile: Henri, duc d’Aumale, the Orléans family and the transnational politics of collecting c. 1848–80

Abstract

Abstract Between the 1848 Revolution and the Franco–Prussian War, the fallen Orléans dynasty lived in the western suburbs of London. Deprived of the throne, Louis-Philippe and his sons struggled to uphold their dignity and credentials as a ruling house. In this time of limbo, cultural pursuits—whether art collecting, exhibitions, literature—were a crucial means of integration into the elite tiers of British society. Material culture remained a central means by which the family affirmed and preserved their dual patriotic and dynastic credentials. Focusing on the collecting activities of the duc d’Aumale in London, this article explores how the experiences and opportunities of British exile profoundly shaped how the Orléans positioned themselves as custodians of French history and national identity. An act of cultural resistance against French governments that had banished and ‘denationalized’ them, art collecting offers a valuable window onto the family’s patriotic self-image and evolving political ambitions.