Works at Museum of Fine Arts Rouen
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The Museum of Fine Arts Rouen rises from the fires of the Revolution.
The year was 1790 and in the midst of their Revolution, the French needed a place to stash all the artwork they were looting. Or, from another perspective, a place where the people could see the art that had previously been denied to them. However you look at it, it was at this time that the first steps towards the Museum of Fine Arts Rouen were taken.
In 1799, the museum opened to the public in a Jesuit church where the paintings hung out (get it?) until 1809 when the little man himself, Napoleon, took the art he’d been confiscating to Rouen’s City Hall. The original collection of 244 pieces continued to grow as some of France’s greatest painters chose to house their works in the museum. By the end of the 19th C the collection was considered one of the most comprehensive collections in France. A new home for the growing paintings was opened in 1888 where it remains today.
The museum features works dating from the 15th C to now, and is still considered one of the most comprehensive collections in France. It’s amazing what a looting Napoleon can do. Thanks to a generous 1909 bequest by wealthy coal magnate Francois Depeaux, it also boasts the second largest collection of Impressionist art in all of France.
If you’d like to take yourself on a brief history of European art from Veronese to Dubuffet and beyond, this museum is definitely worth your time. The vast permanent collection is free to the public and open Wednesday - Mondays from 10am-6pm.
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Here is what Wikipedia says about Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
The musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen is an art museum in Rouen, Normandy, France. Founded in 1801 by Napoleon I, its current building was built between 1880 and 1888 and underwent complete renovation in 1994. It houses painting, sculpture, drawing and decorative art collections.
History
Built between 1877 and 1888 on a design by architect Louis Sauvageot, the museum features a collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and objets d'art from the Renaissance to the present age, including a rare collection of Russian icons from the 15th to the beginning of the 19th century. The museum's exceptional Depeaux collection, consisting in paintings donation in 1909, places it at the forefront of French provincial museums for Impressionism.x
The drawings exhibition room houses over 8000 pieces spanning from the Renaissance to the 20th century. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions as well as odd contemporary art exhibitions. In 2006, the museum offered eight exhibitions, including the "Masterpieces of Florence Museums", which raised the number of visitors from 87,000 to 154,000. Permanent collections are exhibited in 60 rooms. The museum receives some funding from sponsorship. In 2007, its acquisition budget was €150 000 a year. The present director is Laurent Salomé.
Check out the full Wikipedia article about Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen.
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