Foundation of the Association 1979 (≈ 1979)
Creation of the *Friends of Jules Desbois* by collectors.
2001
Opening of the museum
Opening of the museum 2001 (≈ 2001)
The commune inaugurates the museum in the native village.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Jules Desbois - Sculptor and child of the country
Central artist of the museum, friend of Rodin.
Auguste Rodin - Friend and associate artist
Artistic exchanges with Desbois mentioned in the collections.
Origin and history
The Jules-Desbois Museum is based on the initiative of the Jules Desbois Friends Association, founded in 1979 by collectors and enthusiasts. From the time of its creation, it gathers in the artist's native village works and objects from its workshop, gradually constituting a fund dedicated to its memory. Associative engagement makes it possible to enrich the collections, now partially owned by the municipality.
In 2001, the commune of Parçay-les-Pins (now integrated with Noyant-Villages) took over the project and officially inaugurated the museum, offering Jules Desbois, a child of the country, a permanent space for his artistic heritage. The museum relies on deposits of external institutions and the association's ongoing collaboration to develop its 150 listed pieces, including monumental sculptures, decorative arts and testimonies of its exchanges with artists such as Auguste Rodin.
Placed under the scientific supervision of the departmental curator, the museum is managed by the Associate Directorate of the Friends of the Municipal Museums. Its seven thematic rooms – from mythology to the Great War – highlight the realism and meaning of Desbois' characteristic material. The place, labeled Musée de France, also illustrates the artistic networks of the time, while anchoring the work in its original territory.
