The Saint-Etienne Museum of Art and Industry opens the doors to its new permanent exhibition, a new chapter in its history entitled “The Mechanics of Art” . Here we rediscover the treasures of the collections from a new angle: "putting art back at the heart of mechanics", thus reconnecting with the original spirit of the museum, instilled by the museum director Marius Vachon at the end of the 19th century, making of the institution a true aesthetic model to inspire industrialists and workers in the region. We are here at the sources of design. Artist, craftsman, worker, here the threads intertwine to become one. We are captivated by the pieces on display, haute couture models, woven paintings, old paintings, instruments, furniture... Over more than 900m², the museum magnificently reminds us that these know-how, these "mechanics" are above all in the service of beauty. One thing leading to another, we wander through spaces of history and life, guided by the floral and oriental motifs, so coveted in the 19th century. A transversal approach at the heart of the three themes of the museum, which takes us from the workings of the cycles to the secrets of the armory, obviously passing through the art of the ribbon, here, in this institution which holds nearly a million samples, the largest museum collection in the world. The intimate ribbon for lingerie, jewelry or hair; woven ribbon for a painting, a greeting card, a fashion house label; the technical ribbon or the one that heals in the field of medical textiles, the ceremonial ribbon that holds the Legion of Honor or the haute couture bow that adorns the Miss Dior perfume. All these, yesterday as today, made in the stéphanoise region. Pieces of infinite beauty which carry at their heart all the know-how of these men and women who have been spreading their art throughout the world for centuries. Behind the finesse of the creations, the elegance of the style, also hides the quest for excellence, technical mastery, extraordinary demands, and invisible mechanics... So to close this experimental and sensory journey, once we We were dazzled by so many masterpieces, we discover the impressive mechanisms that gave them life, the threads and dyes whose material we will learn to recognize, the crafts, these fascinating wooden machines that wake up and come to life before our dazzled eyes, which rumble in an overwhelming concert, masterfully orchestrated by a passionate team. We witness the birth of a woven picture, that of a lace or a delicate ribbon... A hypnotizing ballet, threads that become entangled, spools that waltz without misstep, monumental mechanisms that seem to fly away… True works of art. From the mechanics of art to the art of mechanics, the circle has come full circle.