Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Fabre Museum finds its origins in revolutionary seizures as early as 1798, in an embryonic form. It grew thanks to the sendings of the State, including works from the Academy, and became a municipal establishment in 1809. Its opening to the public is accompanied by several moves: Collège des Jésuites, Hôtel de Crozals (futur Hôtel de Saint-André), then Hôtel de Bellaval (Mairie). These transfers reflect its institutional evolution before its major transformation in 1826.

In 1826, the museum was thoroughly redesigned after the exceptional donation of the painter François-Xavier Fabre (1766–37), who left to Montpellier collections made during his stay in Italy. This legacy marks a turning point, complemented by other outstanding gifts: Valedeau collections (1836), Bruyas (1867), and Bazille. These successive contributions enrich his fonds, notably in Italian, Spanish, Flemish and French paintings of the 18th to 19th centuries, as well as in drawings and sculptures.

The permanent installation of the museum in the Hotel de Massilian (15th–15th centuries), renovated by the architects Favis and Boué, was inaugurated on 3 December 1828. The contemporary enlargement brings its surface to 9,200 m2, allowing to display 800 works simultaneously (compared to 500 before). The layout of the courses (Southes, Bazille, Bourdon) creates a fluid transition between the city and museum spaces, symbolizing its urban anchor.

The permanent collections highlight European schools, with a predominance for French painting from the 18th to 19th centuries. The Italian and French drawings (XVIIe–XIXe), the Italian and French bronzes and ceramics complete this set. The museum, labeled Musée de France, thus embodies Montpellier's artistic heritage, combining local heritage and European influences.

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