Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Fine Arts and Decorative Arts in Mirande originated from the personal collection of Joseph Delort (1789–42), a man of letters and an amateur painter from Miranda. Born into a local family, it is a collection of paintings from French, Italian and Dutch schools, as well as ceramics. Without an heir, in 1832 he bequeathed his works to his hometown, Mirande, where they remained stored in the town hall until 1879. The museum was finally created in an old chapel of the Clarisses, in poor condition, before being transferred after World War I to a new municipal building.

The initial fund, centred on portraits of the 17th and 18th centuries (Largillière, Rigaud, Chardin), enriched with donations and deposits of the State. In 1932, bequests such as those of M. de Graaf (Dutch school) or M. Passerieu (feathers, canvases) completed the collections. In 1983, the museum moved to its current location, 13 rue de l'Evêché, highlighting its Italian paintings (Tiepolo, Le Corrège), Spanish (Vélasquez) and Flemish (Van Ruisdael), as well as a rare cane belonging to Toussaint Louverture, given by the family of Noah.

The museum is also distinguished by its collection of southwestern earthenware and other regions (Nevers, Moustiers), as well as by works by local artists like Adrien Pérez. Formerly called "Museum of the Little Masters", it actually houses major pieces, such as paintings by David or the 19th-century French school. Its history reflects the commitment of local notables and the progressive enrichment of a diverse artistic heritage, now labeled "Museum of France".

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