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Key figures

Origin and history

The Renaissance Museum in Champagne originated in the collections gathered by the Acadian Society of the Dawn in 1831, originally housed in the former Abbey of Saint-Loup. These works, resulting from revolutionary seizures, donations and acquisitions, were transferred to the City of Troyes in 1945. The richness of the collections imposed their distribution in two sites, including the Hotel de Vauluisant, chosen in 1949 to welcome the pieces dedicated to 16th century art, reflecting the religious artistic effervescence of Troyes and Champagne.

The hotel of Vauluisant, a rare stone building of the city, was built around 1550 by Antoine Hennequin on the ruins of a convent dependent on the Cistercian abbey of Vauluisant, destroyed during the fire of 1524. Its Renaissance architecture, marked by pediments, antelots and spears, makes it a remarkable witness. The building, enlarged in the 17th century by the Mesgrigny family, served as a worldly reception site before being acquired by the City in 1932 to become a museum.

The museum's collections highlight the transition from late Gothic to Renaissance through painted panels, sculptures and stained glass windows. The works, such as those of Linard Gontier or the Master of Chaource, illustrate Italian and Nordic influences. Painting and sculpture are alongside didactic pieces, offering a complete panorama of 16th century Champagne art.

Among the Musées de France, the Hôtel de Vauluisant also houses the Musée de la Bonneterie. Its adorned facade and its turrets frame a spiral staircase make it an architectural gem. The museum preserves major pieces, such as the Assumption of the Virgin or the Song of St Joseph, symbols of this pivotal period between the Middle Ages and modernity.

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