Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Fine Arts of Angers originated in 1797, when the Central School of Maine-et-Loire moved to Logis Barrault, a flamboyant Gothic mansion built between 1486 and 1493. In 1801, the School's museum opened its doors, inspired by the Louvre model. After the abolition of the Central Schools in 1803, the municipality of Angers preserved the museum, which became municipal in 1805, integrating a natural history cabinet and a library. The collections were enriched by prestigious bequests such as Lancelot Theodore Turpin de Crissé in 1859, including Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and works by Italian and Flemish masters.

In the 19th century, the museum experienced major extensions: the David d'Angers (1839) gallery, dedicated to the angeline sculptor, and the Beaurepaire (1887) gallery, designed by architect Charles Demoget. Donations increased, notably that of Count Étienne de Saint-Genys in 1915, perpetuating the legacy of Turpin de Crissé. In 1944, the museum was damaged during the war, and was classified as a provincial museum in 1946. A brief reorganization allowed its reopening in 1950, despite persistent spatial constraints.

Between 1999 and 2004, an ambitious renovation was carried out by architects Gabor Mester de Parajd (Historical Monuments) and Antoine Stinco (museum). The project combines restoration of the Logis Barrault and creation of modern spaces, such as the vaulted loggia restored. In 2003, the bequest Daniel Duclaux added 900 works to the museum, including Flemish tapestries and limousines, exhibited at the Château de Villevêque. The museum, ranked 10th in France (excluding Paris) in 2010, now presents 900 works on 7,000 m2, covering medieval to contemporary art.

The permanent collections are structured around two routes: one dedicated to the Primitives (XIVth-17th centuries) and European schools, the other in the 18th-21st centuries, with masterpieces by Fragonard, Ingres, or Corot. A room is dedicated to modern art, while the David d'Angers gallery, installed in the Toussaint Abbey since 1984, exhibits its original plasters. The graphic arts firm, with 13,500 drawings, includes fonds of David d'Angers, Turpin de Crissé, and masters like Rembrandt or Rubens.

The museum also preserves works spoiled during the Second World War (WWWII), including a Botticelli restored in 2023. Its temporary exhibitions, such as those dedicated to Niki de Saint Phalle (2004) or François Morellet (2006), complement the cultural offer. In 2014, the Journal des arts classes Angers first among the museums in cities of 20,000 to 200,000 inhabitants, highlighting its dynamism and the quality of its collections, from Gallo-Roman antiques to contemporary art.

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