Key facts
- A descendant of artist Jules-Eugène Lenepveu is threatening legal action to uncover the original ceiling of the Paris Opera house.
- The original ceiling, painted by Lenepveu and classified as a historic monument in 1923, has been covered by Marc Chagall's work since 1964.
- Arnaud Carayon, president of the Friends of Lenepveu Society, has formally requested the restoration of the Lenepveu ceiling.
- Chagall's removable canvasses cover 220 sq meters of the dome.
- The Palais Garnier is set to undergo renovations from 2027 to 2032.
A legal battle is brewing over the ceiling of the Palais Garnier, Paris's historic opera house, with a descendant of the original artist threatening to sue to have it uncovered. Arnaud Carayon, a descendant of 19th-century painter Jules-Eugène Lenepveu, has been advocating for the restoration of Lenepveu's work, which has been hidden for six decades.
In 1962, then-French Culture Minister André Malraux commissioned artist Marc Chagall to create a new ceiling for the opera house. Chagall subsequently produced 24 large canvasses, which were installed in 1964, covering Lenepveu's original artwork. Lenepveu's ceiling, titled 'The Muses and the Hours of Day and Night,' was painted in oil on copper plates and was classified as a historic monument in 1923.
Carayon stated that he has made polite requests for three years, including writing to President Emmanuel Macron, but has now instructed a lawyer to pursue legal action. He expressed concern about the condition of the Lenepveu ceiling, which has not been seen for 60 years. Lenepveu, a friend and collaborator of the opera house's architect Charles Garnier, was a prominent artist in his time, also known for his frescoes in the Paris Panthéon.
Chagall's work, described as a "complete work of art" and a "homage to France and to Paris," is composed of colorful canvasses spliced together around the central chandelier. Even before its installation, there was controversy, with the Royal Institute of British Architects in London urging the French government to abandon plans to cover the original ceiling.
Carayon has proposed alternating the display of the Lenepveu and Chagall ceilings after the opera house reopens following renovations scheduled from 2027 to 2032. He noted that Chagall's ceiling is designed to be removable. The director of the Paris Opera, Alexander Neef, acknowledged the long-standing debate and the legitimacy of Lenepveu's descendants defending his memory, while also recognizing the heritage value of Lenepveu's classified monument.