COLOGNE.- One of the foremost salon painters of 19th century France, Alexandre Cabanel (1823–1889), will be featured in his first exhibition ever. In cooperation with Musée Fabre in Montpellier, the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne will present over 60 works by a man who rose from the rank of a lowly carpenter’s son to become court painter to Napoleon III. The exhibition “Alexandre Cabanel – The Tradtion of Beauty” can be seen from 4. February to 15. May 2011. In order to give these graceful works by the last of the great salon painters just the right ambience, the Wallraf has secured the services of a distinguished compatriot of Cabanel: Star designer Christian Lacroix has been commissioned to design a special interior exclusively for the exhibition. Lacroix studied at the Academy of Arts in Montpellier the hometown of Cabanel and regards the painter as one of his all-time favourites. Alex