Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Goya Museum originated in 1840, when the city of Castres gathered nine paintings inherited from the Revolution in a room called "museum". From that date, the institution attracted donations and deposits from the State, despite its initial modesty. In 1866, the appointment of the first curator marked a structure, followed in 1887 by an extension (three rooms added) after the transfer of the library. Pierre Briguiboul's exceptional legacy in 1893, including three major Goya paintings and 72 objects, permanently directed the museum towards Hispanic art. This background is enriched by the four regularly exhibited Goya engraved series.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the influx of donations (Kermainguy, Jumel de Noireterre) and expansion, despite a retreat during the First World War. In 1941, the renovation revealed a historic frieze of the bishops of Castres (1317–1802), and the museum, renamed the Goya Museum in 1947, devoted its collections to Spanish art. The prestigious depots of 1949, such as the Portrait of Philip IV of Velázquez, reinforce this vocation. Since the 1970s, its international exhibitions and dynamic acquisition policy have made it a world reference for Hispanic painting.

The building itself, a former bishopric built between 1665 and 1673 under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, replaces a Benedictine abbey of the eighth century. Requisitioned at the Revolution, it successively houses the sub-prefecture, the town hall, and the museum in 1840. His garden, designed by André Le Nôtre in 1676, and the frieze of the bishops' coats of arms testify to his complex history, mixing religious heritage and cultural vocation.

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