From October 13 to January 7, 2024, on the occasion of the 480th anniversary of the Siege of Nice, the Massena Museum celebrates the iconic local heroine, Catherine Ségurane.
This exhibition appears as the culmination of a year of Niçoise culture punctuated by various events. Conferences, tours, and even exhibitions, the city of Nice has brilliantly commemorated the 480 years since the Siege of Nice.
During the Ninth Italian War, in 1543, war dangerously loomed over Nice. Tension reached its peak in August 1543. For twenty days, over twenty thousand Franco-Turks besieged the city of Nice. According to the legend, in mid-August, the appearance of the Virgin Mary and the particular actions of Catherine Ségurane pushed back the enemy.
It is said that the Niçoise heroine showed a “fleshy part” of her anatomy. However, Jean-Baptiste Toselli, a Niçoise writer, explains that this legend was invented by the Niçoise chronicler Scalier in the 19th century. Scalier would have borrowed it from those who sought to question the existence of Catherine Ségurane. Nonetheless, “we all believe in Catherine Ségurane” declared, smiling, Jean-Luc Gagliolo.
To discover at this exhibition
Presented in five rooms, the exhibition offers its audience a true journey through time. Drawing from archeology, pictorial art, and literature, this exhibition plays with multiple disciplines. The first room presents the portrait of Catherine Ségurane. In the following room, you will learn why the city of Nice was an eminently strategic place at that time. Continue your visit and you will discover the entire history of the Siege of Nice. After that, a room in this exhibition presents other heroic female figures. Finally, the last room displays different celebrations and tributes to Catherine Ségurane.
Furthermore, this exhibition has also been designed for the younger audience. Indeed, Niçoise illustrator Coun, author of the book Qu’es aco? Catarina Segurana, accompanies this entire exhibition. In this work, the artist narrates the exploits of the iconic Niçoise heroine. A bit like a treasure hunt, children will have the task of spotting each “?” on the exhibition’s walls. Alongside these large question marks, there is a word that they will have to search for in the book. These markers thus allow them to access additional information about the victorious episodes of Catherine Ségurane.
