Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée départemental Maurice-Denis "Le Prieuré" occupies a former royal general hospital founded in 1682 by the Marquise de Montespan in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The buildings, built between 1686 and 1698 (chapelle dated by dendrochronology), were decommissioned in 1803, transformed into tannery and then into retirement homes by the Jesuits in 1875. This historic site, marked by successive reallocations, became a key place in local history before its acquisition by Maurice Denis in 1913.

In 1910, Maurice Denis rented this estate, a former 17th century royal hospital, to become his workshop and family residence. In 1914 he purchased him, renamed him "Le Prieuré", and welcomed some nabi artists, such as Paul Sérusier, Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard. Between 1915 and 1928, he renovated the chapel with architect Auguste Perret, creating stained glass, wall paintings and liturgical furniture in homage to Saint Martha, after the death of his wife in 1919. The chapel, consecrated in 1922, served as a neighborhood church until his death in 1943.

From 1943 to 1973, the building will house a medical-pedagogical institute. In 1976, thanks to the donation of works by the Denis family, the Yvelines departmental council made it a museum dedicated to the nabi art and symbolism. Ranked a historic monument in the same year, it reopened in 2021 after work, and a partnership with the Musée d'Orsay was signed in 2024 to promote its collections.

The museum exhibits major works by Maurice Denis, Paul Gauguin, Odilon Redon, Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, and other nabis, as well as stained glass windows signed by Albert Besnard or Gruber. The chapel, the jewel of the site, and the wooded park complete this immersion in the artistic universe of the late 19th and early 20th century. There are regular temporary exhibitions and cultural activities.

Architecturally, the Priory combines a classical heritage (west wing of 1692, chapel of 1698) with modern amenities, such as the workshop designed by Auguste Perret in 1912. This mix of styles reflects its turbulent history, from the Ancien Régime to its current role as conservator of the French avant-garde art.

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