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Origin and history

The Garinet Museum is a museum of historical art and souvenirs located in Châlons-en-Champagne, in a Gothic house built around 1515. This building, built in chalkstones and bricks according to the Champagne apparatus, is the oldest civil building in the city of hard material. It was originally owned by Claude Raulet, baili of the bishop, before being acquired in 1596-1599 by Philippe de Thomassin, governor of Châlons, who transferred the seat of the vidame there in 1599. The facades and portal of the former seminary, located in the courtyard, were listed as historical monuments in 1980.

The museum is named after Jules Garinet, a bibliographer, archaeologist and collector, who brought together a library of 33,000 volumes, paintings of masters, and art objects. At his death, his wife Marguerite-Victoire Garinet bequeathed the building and collections to the city of Châlons-en-Champagne, provided that it was made a museum bearing his name. Open to the public since 1899, the museum is only visited by appointment or the first Sundays of the month. It preserves major works such as The Virgin and Saint Anne (Master of 1499) or Ruth gleaning in the fields of Booz by Alexander Cabanel, as well as Napoleonic memories and the Mohen collection, a unique set of 98 models of French wooden monuments.

The hotel, transformed into a bourgeois mansion in the 19th century by Claude Joseph Garinet, father of Jules, underwent several architectural changes. Occupied by Germans during World War II, it was restored in the 1980s-1990s. Today, it still houses the Garinet Museum, with interior elements dating from the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries, including French ceilings, panelling, and a cast iron staircase. The court also exhibits the portal of the former convent Sainte-Marie, which was built in 1958.

The museum's collections reflect the passions of Jules Garinet: paintings (Francs Snyders, Pierre Subleyras), faiences, enamels, and historical objects as a letter from Napoleon I. The diversity of works, combining religious art, portraits and genre scenes, makes it a valuable testimony to local and national history. The legacy of the Garinets has preserved this heritage, while offering a remarkable architectural framework, combining Gothic, Renaissance and later transformations.

The building, partially classified as historical monuments, illustrates the urban evolution of Châlons-en-Champagne, from its role as seat of the vidame to its museum vocation. The materials used ( chalk, brick, soapstone) and the constructive techniques (cradle vaults, double arches) underline its heritage importance. The museum remains a place of memory, where the history of the city, collections and their donors intertwine.

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