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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The former synagogue of Bruyères, built in 1902-1903 by the Parisian architect Lucien Hesse, was financed by the patron Daniel Osiris (Daniel-Osiris Iffla). Built in Vosges sandstone for the local Jewish community, it served as a place of worship until 1940, before being converted into a military depot under the German occupation. The building, though transformed into a warehouse, retained its original architectural arrangements.

Restored between 1994 and 1995, the synagogue was converted into a museum thanks to the generosity of Henri Mathieu, a Just among the nations. Inaugurated in 1996 as the Henri-Mathieu Museum, he initially devoted himself to Vosges popular arts and ceramics, before re-focusing in 2024 on four themes: faiences (including the legacy of Henri Mathieu), Judaism, the pharmacy pots of the former Saint John Hospital, and artist Jean Lurçat, native of Bruyères.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1991 and labeled a 20th century heritage, the synagogue now houses 93 pots of pharmacy in eighteenth century faience, from the military hospital Saint John (1727-1731). In 2024, a temporary exhibition commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bruyères by American soldiers of Japanese origin, highlighting its anchor in local and memorial history.

Henri Mathieu and his wife Marcelle, recognized as righteous among the nations in 1994, saved during World War II two Jewish children, Fanny and Pierre Tenenbaum, whose mother was arrested during a raid in Dordogne. Their humanist commitment is celebrated at the museum, which also perpetuates the memory of patron Daniel Osiris and architect Lucien Hesse.

The museum is managed by the association Daniel OSIRIS, the friends of the Museum, and highlights various collections: Judaica, Lunéville ceramics, and works by Jean Lurçat (1892-1966), painter and major ceramicist of the twentieth century. These elements illustrate both the Vosges artistic heritage and the turbulent history of the local Jewish community.

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