Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Maillol Museum of Banyuls-sur-Mer is housed in the former farmhouse of Aristide Maillol (1861-1944), a major sculptor of the early twentieth century, born and dead in this city. This place, where he lived and worked, was restored by Dina Vierny, her last model and muse, who made it a museum in 1994. Maillol is buried there under Mediterranean sculpture, one of his iconic works.

Aristide Maillol, first painter and engraver, turned to sculpture around 40 years old, creating clean forms inspired by the feminine nude. His style, marked by simplicity and harmony, influenced artists like Henry Moore or Hans Arp. The Mediterranean (1905), a silent and geometric figure, symbolizes its revolutionary approach, between classicism and modernity.

Dina Vierny, model and contributor of Maillol for ten years, played a key role in preserving her legacy. After her death in 1944, she founded the Dina Vierny Foundation and opened two museums: Paris (1995) and Banyuls-sur-Mer (1994), where her sculptures, drawings and engravings are exhibited. The site, surrounded by Pyrenean nature, retains the intimate atmosphere of the artist's workshop.

The museum houses major works such as La Montagne (1937) and La Rivière (1939), as well as monuments to the dead commissioned by local cities. Maillol developed a monumental aesthetic, rejecting Rodin's dynamism to favour serene and timeless forms. His influence persists in contemporary art, notably through reinterpretations of his female figures.

In 1964, Dina Vierny offered nineteen Maillol sculptures to the Carrousel Garden in Paris, consolidating her reputation. The Museum of Banyuls-sur-Mer, in addition to permanent exhibitions, organizes events highlighting its dialogue with other artists. The place, full of history, remains a tribute to the work and life of this Catalan sculptor, pioneer of modernity.

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