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Dans un livre qu'il signe aujourd'hui, Mounir Hentati nous livre ses découvertes, ses surprises, ses émerveillements. Présentant les objets dont il découvrait les origines à l'issue de longues et patientes recherches, il a longtemps hésité sur la manière de les classer avant de se décider sur la plus logique : par matériau. 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Les trésors sont faits pour être dissimulés dans les histoires rocambolesques. Ici, ils ne l'étaient pas, certes, du moins pas sciemment. Mais dans ce magnifique Palais D'erlanger, qui est notre propos, la richesse du décor, la profusion des détails, la somptuosité des lambris, la finesse des stucs faisaient qu'immanquablement, les objets étaient occultés, ou mal perçus. En tout cas certainement pas mis en valeur, à la place que méritent leur qualité et leur rareté. Or qui, mieux que celui qui a vécu dans ce palais vingt ans durant, conservateur ébloui des lieux, sans cesse en quête des merveilles qu'il recèle et de leur histoire, Mounir Hentati, pour nous en révéler les clés ? Dans un livre qu'il signe aujourd'hui, celui-ci nous livre ses découvertes, ses surprises, ses émerveillements. Présentant les objets dont il découvrait les origines à l'issue de longues et patientes recherches, il a longtemps hésité sur la manière de les classer avant de se décider sur la plus logique : par matériau. Au fil des pages, on découvre la magnifique collection de verreries Beykoz du Baron, celle, non moins prestigieuse, de tapis et tissages, mais aussi les céramiques et porcelaines, les métaux, et bien sûr, l'œuvre peinte du Baron D'Erlanger, artiste reconnu dont l'atelier était récemment restauré par la Fondation Lazaar. Ce faisant, Mounir Hentati colle au plus près de la vie de ce baron de légende dont on a beaucoup dit, mais sur lequel reste encore beaucoup à découvrir. «Plus qu'un catalogue raisonné d'objets d'art, ou d'un inventaire d'artefacts ramassés au gré des envies d'un invétéré collectionneur, ce livre les insère comme traces éloquentes balisant l'itinéraire intime de Rodolphe D'Erlanger en quête des codes et thèmes majeurs d'une culture ancestrale qui le fascinait et dont il avait à cœur de préserver l'authenticité», écrit Ali Louati. Pour illustrer son propos et partager ses découvertes, Mounir Hentati expose une partie de la fabuleuse collection de verreries Beykoz du palais. Aiguières, lance-parfums, confituriers, flacons ou autres pots d'apothicaire témoignent de la magnifique tradition de verre ottomane qui se propagea à travers le monde au XIXe siècle, et qui séduisit les Tunisiens. Aurons- nous, par la suite, le plaisir de voir des expositions des autres collections du Baron ? Nous l'espérons.
