Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Jules Bastien-Lepage Museum – Museum of Fortification originated in the initiative of Alfred Pierrot, Mayor of Montmedy between 1904 and 1908. He initially installed the museum in two rooms of the city hall, gathering portraits of prominent personalities from the Montédienne region. This cultural project was born at the beginning of the 20th century, in a context where small towns seek to preserve their local heritage and enhance their history.

In 1938, after the death of Émile Bastien-Lepage, works by Jules Bastien-Lepage and his brother, including drawings and sketches, were left to the museum. These additions significantly enrich the collections, but the museum suffers the consequences of the two world wars. During World War I, works disappeared, including bronze busts. During the Second World War, although evacuated, part of the collections never returned to Montmedy.

After the war in 1956, an inventory conducted by Paul Errard recorded 129 works of variable value. In 1961, the museum was transferred to the old courthouse, but collections were relegated to attices for 12 years. It was only in 1983 that the museum reopened its doors in the rooms of an old school in the upper city. The following year, an exhibition commemorates the centenary of Jules Bastien-Lepage's death.

Since 1988, the museum has expanded with five rooms dedicated to the history of fortification, covering periods ranging from antiquity to the twentieth century. The collections now include models, aerial photographs, weapons, uniforms and plans, illustrating the evolution of military techniques. The museum, labeled Musée de France, highlights both the artistic heritage of Bastien-Lepage and the local military heritage.

The painter Jules Bastien-Lepage, who was born in 1848 in Damvillers and died in 1884 in Paris, had a tremendous success during his lifetime. His works, marked by poetic realism, stand alongside the museum of various military collections, offering a unique dialogue between art and history. The citadel of Montmédy, which houses the museum, reinforces this link between architectural heritage and collective memory.

External links