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Origin and history

The Fesch Palace, located in Ajaccio, Corsica, is an art museum created thanks to the legacy of Cardinal Joseph Fesch, uncle of Napoleon I. In 1839, this patron offered 1,000 objects of art, including 843 paintings, sculptures, manuscripts and part of his furniture, to his hometown. The building of the palace, begun in 1828 under the direction of architect Frasseto, was completed in 1852, after the Cardinal's death. The works were then taken over by Jean Caseneuve and Jérôme Maglioli, who completed the imperial chapel between 1857 and 1859.

The Palatine chapel, where Cardinal Fesch and several members of the Bonaparte family rest, was consecrated in 1860 in the presence of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. The museum, which experienced periods of decline in the 20th century, was completely renovated between 1980 and 1990, and again between 2008 and 2010. Today, he exhibits about 400 paintings, including an exceptional collection of Italian and Napoleonic works.

The collections of the Fesch Palace, spread over four floors, include paintings from European schools, a section dedicated to Corsican art, and a Napoleonic collection of nearly 700 works. The museum also houses a historical library, founded in 1801 by Lucien Bonaparte, and an auditorium. Ranked a Historic Monument, the palace is a major testimony of the patronage and cultural history of Corsica in the 19th century.

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