Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Salies Museum was founded in 1852 on the initiative of Achille Jubinal, MP for the Hautes-Pyrénées, who offered part of his personal collection. Thanks to his friendship with Princess Mathilde, Napoleon III's cousin, and the Count of Nieuwerkerke, the director of the Imperial Museums, the museum benefited from prestigious shipments from the state, including paintings from the Paris Salons. These donations greatly enriched his collections from the time he was created.

The current Art Deco building was completed in 1931 under the direction of architect Léon Jaussely. His name pays tribute to the nearby source Salies, with reference to a legacy of Justin Daléas, a Toulouse drapier cured by its waters. The façade, inspired by the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts of 1925, is distinguished by an eight-column peristyle. The museum was listed as a historical monument in 2014 for its iconic 20th century architecture.

The collections of the Salies Museum consist mainly of 19th-century paintings, including works by Chassériau, Vigneron, or Brother, representing historical, oriental or landscape scenes. There are also earthenware from the 17th to 18th centuries, porcelain from the Compagnie des Indes, and ex-votos. In 1938, Blanche Odin, a watercolourist nicknamed the Rose Fairy, bequeathed his collection there, completing this eclectic ensemble.

Located between the Thermes and the Casino de Bagnères-de-Bigorre, the museum illustrates the local patronage and artistic exchanges between the province and Paris. Its architecture and collections reflect both the thermal heritage of the city and the 19th century's passion for Orientalism and the landscape, while celebrating local figures such as Jubinal or Daleas.

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