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Museum of Photography André Villers à Mougins dans les Alpes-Maritimes

Musée
Musée de la photographie et du cinéma
Alpes-Maritimes

Museum of Photography André Villers

    67 Rue de l'Église
    06250 Mougins

Timeline

Époque contemporaine
2000
1986
Creation of the museum
2019
Temporary closure
juillet 2021
Reopening
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Key figures

André Villers - Founder and photographer Friend of Picasso, creator of the museum.
Pablo Picasso - Subject of portraits Painter immortalized by Villers and others.
Denise Colomb - Photographer on display Author of portraits of Picasso.
Edward Quinn - Photographer 300 pieces in the collections.
Robert Doisneau - Photographer exhibited Works in the museum.
Jacques-Henri Lartigue - Photographer exhibited Contributor to permanent collections.

Origin and history

The André Villers Museum of Photography was founded in 1986 in Mougins, Alpes-Maritimes, by André Villers, photographer close to Pablo Picasso. This place exhibited portraits of the painter, especially those made by Villers himself, as well as works by other renowned photographers such as Denise Columbus, Edward Quinn, Robert Doisneau or Jacques-Henri Lartigue. A collection of ancient cameras, including the cidoscope (precursor of cartoon), was also presented, supplemented by temporary exhibitions of contemporary photography.

The museum closed in 2019 to become a more ambitious project, the Centre de la photographie de Mougins, inaugurated in July 2021 after renovation work. This new centre perpetuates the legacy of the original museum by expanding its missions, while maintaining funds dedicated to the history of photography and its major figures, such as Picasso, whose portraits by Villers were a central element of the collections.

André Villers, a key figure in the museum, was not only its founder but also a major actor in its artistic identity. His friendship with Picasso and his role as the painter's appointed photographer allowed the collections to be enriched with unique photographs, reflecting the links between pictorial art and photography in the 20th century. The museum thus highlighted rare works, while valuing the technical heritage of photography through historical apparatus.

Temporary exhibitions, organized regularly, offered a showcase for contemporary photography, creating a dialogue between periods and styles. This dynamism helped to anchor the museum, then the Centre of Photography, as a reference point for amateurs and professionals, in a territory marked by a strong artistic tradition, especially linked to Picasso's historical presence in the region.

External links

Conditions of visit

  • Conditions de visite : Ouvert toute l'année
  • Contact organisation : 04 93 75 85 67