Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bernay Museum of Fine Arts was created in the second half of the 19th century, a period marked by the rise of museums in France. He was born on the initiative of the painter Vincent-Nicolas Raverat in 1857, and then made concrete in 1866 thanks to the gift of Alphonse Assegond, an amateur of art offering his collection of earthenware from Rouen, paintings and art objects provided that a museum was created. Inaugurated in 1868 in two halls of the city hall, it quickly became a place of conservation for local and national works, enriched by legacies such as that of Eugene Lobrot in 1887.

In 1887, the museum moved to the old abbey abbey of Notre-Dame, a 17th-century brick and stone building, renovated by Pierre-Victorien Lottin de Laval. The latter is inspired by the Louvre to create rooms with pumpkin red walls and white arcades, offering a box adapted to encyclopedic collections. The museum opened in this new place in 1891, housing various works, from Etruscan ceramics to French paintings, reflecting the didactic spirit of the 19th century provincial museums.

In the 20th century, the museum gradually extended to the ground floor of the abbey house. In the 1980s, a major renovation was carried out by architect Jean-Claude Delorme, preserving the spirit of the 19th century while modernizing spaces, such as the glass gallery dedicated to sculptures. Reopened in 1989, it continues to enrich with donations, such as that of 1,050 works by Henri de Maistre in 2005, and targeted acquisitions, notably in the French avant-garde of the early twentieth century.

The museum is distinguished by its collections of faiences of Rouen, among the most beautiful in Normandy, and works attributed to renowned artists such as Carlo Cignani, Charles Le Brun or Louis Valtat. Since 2012, a hall has been dedicated to the history of Bernay, a city labeled "City of Art and History". The museum regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, workshops for the young public and participates in national events such as Heritage Days.

Labelled "Musée de France" in 2002, it illustrates the evolution of provincial museums, moving from a local conservation site to a dynamic cultural space. Its public service and documentation, accessible by appointment, make it a key player in the dissemination of Norman heritage. The collections, made up of nearly 10,000 objects, combine fine arts, archaeology, science and natural history, reflecting the diversity of 19th century knowledge.

The ancient abbey house, acquired by the city in 1887, is an example of 17th century architecture, marked by the regime of commende. After the Revolution, it became a private property before building the museum. The pavilions added in the 18th century, then rebuilt at the end of the 19th century, complement this historic building, now dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Bernay heritage.

External links