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Origin and history

The ancient bishopric of Angoulême, built in the 4th quarter of the 15th century, is an emblematic monument of the historic centre of the city. Since 1920, it has hosted the Musée des Beaux-Arts (formerly museum of Angoulême), labeled museum of France. The building, modernized between 1979-1983 and 2002-2008, preserves medieval elements such as an ogival vaulted chapel and 19th-century stained glass windows, some of which were signed by the master-glass tower Julien-Léopold Lobin (assumption). The main entrance, moved to Square Girard II, offers views of St. Peter's Cathedral.

The museum presents various collections on three levels. The ground floor is home to archaeological and paleontological remains, including skeletons of aurochs, prehistoric tools (bifaces, arrow tips) and a Gallic iron and bronze helmet discovered in Agris (IVth century BC). The first floor is dedicated to African and ocean art, with 3,000 pieces left in 1934 by Dr Jules Lhomme, including masks, statuettes and ritual objects. The second floor exhibits paintings (XVI-XX century), sculptures and weapons, from bequests such as that of painter François Rainguet (1838).

The chapel of the bishopric, preserved intact, has stained glass windows representing Saint Ausonius, the Virgin with Child (1833) and Saint Hilaire (1834). These works, attributed to the Lobin workshop in Tours, illustrate 19th century religious art. The museum has been involved since 2023 in the Anada project, aimed at inventorying the sub-Saharan collections of six museums in New Aquitaine, in a context of arts decolonization. Certain pieces, acquired during military campaigns or slave trade, could be returned.

The former bishopric is partially protected: its North Wall (Friedland Street) has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1925. The building, owned by the commune, was renovated by architects Stéphane Barbotin-Larrieux and Paul Gresham during the 2000s. Since 2016, access to collections has been paid for. The museum collaborates with African researchers (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast) to study the provenance of its works, building on the inventory compiled by Jules Lhomme.

The site is part of a local museum network, alongside the Archaeological Museum, the Resistance Museum and the Paper Museum. Its history reflects the evolution of the city, from the medieval period (Romanesque art, fortifications) to the contemporary period, marked by heritage and post-colonial issues. The collections, enriched by departmental excavations, offer a panorama of 500,000 years of Charente history, from Neandertalians to modern artists.

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