Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Reattu d'Arles Museum occupies the former hospital priory of the order of St John of Jerusalem, founded in the 12th century on the banks of the Rhone. This building, located on 10 rue du Grand-Prieré, was acquired in the 19th century by Arlesian painter Jacques Réattu, Grand Prix de Rome in 1791. The latter dreamed of establishing a place of creation and reception for artists, a project which never came into being but which was a lasting mark of the site's vocation. In 1868 the town of Arles became its owner, transforming the building into a municipal museum.

The museum is distinguished by its eclectic collections, centered on the work of Jacques Réattu and enriched by major donations. It is home to 57 drawings and a painting by Picasso, as well as paintings by local artists such as Antoine Raspal, of which L In 1965, under the leadership of Jean-Maurice Rouquette and photographer Lucien Clergue, the museum became a pioneer in France by integrating photography into its permanent collections. This opening continued in 2007 with the creation of the first sound art fund in a fine arts museum, in partnership with Phonurgia Nova.

Ranked a historic monument in 1958, the Reattu Museum also played a key role in promoting contemporary art. In 2008, an exhibition designed by Christian Lacroix, a native of Arles, attracted more than 130,000 visitors, revealing its potential as a space for dialogue between heritage and creation. The museum also preserves valuable archives, including a letter from Vincent van Gogh to Paul Gauguin, written at Arles in 1889, evoking his famous Tournesols. Today, its collections extend from contemporary design (like Frédéric Rhodes' furniture) to sound arts, while maintaining a strong link with the city's architectural and artistic history.

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