Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Since 1986, the Jean-Lurçat Museum and the contemporary tapestry have occupied the premises of a former 17th century orphanage, transformed into an exhibition space dedicated to textile art. The collections trace the evolution of modern tapestry, from the 1930s to contemporary creations, enriched by recent donations featuring major artists such as Thomas Gleb (1912–1991) and Grau-Garriga (1929–2011). The hanging is structured around two sites, offering a historical and aesthetic panorama of this unknown art.

The Hospital Saint-Jean, an associated 12th century historical monument, has been home since 1968 to Le Chant du Monde (1957–1966), a monumental wall of Jean Lurçat. This work, a humanist and poetic echo to medieval Apocalypse, embodies the rebirth of French tapestry in the 20th century. The museum completes this presentation with paintings, drawings and ceramics by the artist, while temporary exhibitions dialogue with permanent collections.

The architectural ensemble of St John's Hospital, a remarkable witness to Gothic art in western France, includes a room of the medieval sick, a chapel, a cloister and attics. Ranked among the oldest French hospitals, it illustrates the evolution of hospital and artistic practices, from medieval times to modernity.

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