The 1972 Surrealist Ball at Château de Ferrières, hosted by Marie-Hélène de Rothschild, remains one of the most talked-about society events of the 20th century.

True to its theme, the night blurred the line between reality and dream. Guests received invitations printed in reverse, requiring a mirror to decipher—a clever prelude to the evening’s surrealism. High-profile attendees, including Salvador Dalí, Audrey Hepburn, and Baron Alexis de Redé, arrived in outlandish costumes and elaborate masks, embodying the eccentric artistry of the era.

Inside, the château was transformed into a living surrealist installation. Shattered mirrors, eerie mannequins, and bizarre lighting effects created a disorienting, dreamlike environment where every corner held a new curiosity. The atmosphere reflected both extravagance and strangeness, mirroring the surrealist movement itself.

Over time, photographs of the haunting masks and unsettling costumes gained a second life, fueling urban legends and conspiracy theories. Some speculated hidden meanings or sinister undertones behind the imagery. However, historians emphasize that it was simply an extravagant expression of surrealist art, not evidence of secretive rituals.

Even today, the event’s photographic legacy endures, securing its place in cultural memory as a symbol of mystery, artistry, and the decadence of elite society in the 1970s.#fblifestyle