“The Prince's vision: Jacques Rueff, Minister of State for Rainier III, 1949-1950”, a new exhibition in the lobby of the Ministry of State

Poster for the exhibition: “The Prince's vision: Jacques Rueff, Minister of State for Rainier III, 1949-1950”, inspired by a photograph of the enthronement ceremonies (the military review on Place du Palais), on 11 April 1950. A.P.M. ©Mission de préfiguration des Archives nationales

The Monaco National Archives Preparatory Team (MPAN) and the Central Records Office (SCADA), as part of events to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Prince Rainier III and in partnership with the Palace of Monaco Archives and the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco, presents a new exhibition titled “The Prince’s vision: Jacques Rueff, Minister of State for Rainier III, 1949-1950”, in the lobby of the Ministry of State, from 6 November 2023 to 26 January 2024.

The show is curated by Michaël Bloche, Director of MPAN, together with Thomas Fouilleron, Vincent Vatrican and Audrey Bloche.

Jacques Rueff, the first Minister of State of Prince Rainier III upon the latter’s succession to the throne in 1949, was one of the greatest economists of the 20th century. He was a member of the Académie française.

A friend of Prince Pierre, Jacques Rueff came to Monaco for one year, at the express request of Pierre’s son, Rainier III, whom he met at the French military mission for German Affairs in Berlin in 1945.

Despite a sensitive context of tense relations with France and a domestic crisis involving post-war financial difficulties, the resignation of the entire National Council, demonstrations and strikes, the young 26-year-old prince and Jacques Rueff, immediately after Rainier’s arrival on the throne, successfully built the foundations of a policy that would continue for decades: the development of tourism, urban planning, and the influence and international recognition of Monaco.

Before and after his time in the Principality, Jacques Rueff had an illustrious career in France and abroad, in the government of Raymond Poincaré, at the League of Nations, the Banque de France, Sciences Po Paris, the Inter-Allied Reparation Agency, the United Nations, and, after his year in Monaco, the Court of Justice of the European Coal and Steel Community, and later the European Economic Community.

Above all, he is considered the “father” of the new franc, issued in 1960.

Visitors to the exhibition can see new documents from the Rueff collection kept at the French National Archives as well as at the SCADA, the Archives of the Prince’s Palace, the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco, the Monaco Multimedia Library, along with items still conserved by Jacques Rueff’s daughter. 

An article by Michaël Bloche that explores in-depth the various themes of the exhibition will appear in December in the next issue of the Annales Monegasques.

Practical information:

Ministry of State, place de la Visitation, 98000 Monaco

Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 5 pm. 

Individual visits can be booked until 17 November 2023.

Free entry for individual visitors from 20 November 2023 to 26 January 2024.

Guided tours can be booked for Wednesday 15 November, 13 December and 17 January. Visit from 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm.

Group visits by reservation:

Tel.: +377 98 98 49 15

Email: scada@gouv.mc

For more information: https://centenairerainier3.mc/event/exposition-sur-le-prince-rainier-et-jacques-rueff/

©Direction de la Communication - Frédéric Nebinger