The Musée Magnin is a national museum in the French city of

Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earlies ...

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

, in the

Côte-d'Or Côte-d'Or (; literally, "Golden Slope") is a département in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of Northeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 534,124.hôtel particulier An ''hôtel particulier'' () is a grand townhouse, comparable to the Townhouse (Great Britain), British townhouse or mansion. Whereas an ordinary ''maison'' (house) was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side an ...

in the old-town quarter of Dijon where it is now displayed as an amateur collector's cabinet of curiosities and as the Magnin family home.

Building

Built between 1652 and 1681 for Etienne Lantin, councillor in the Accounts Chamber, the townhouse became the property of the Magnin family in the 19th century when Jean-Hugues Magnin (1791-1856) bought it in 1829. Without altering its historic flavor, the townhouse was redesigned in the 1930s by the Parisian architect

Auguste Perret Auguste Perret (12 February 1874 – 25 February 1954) was a French architect and a pioneer of the architectural use of reinforced concrete. His major works include the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the first Art Deco building in Paris; the C ...

, to house the collection that Maurice Magnin, a year after the death of his sister Jeanne, willed to the State in 1938. This choice followed donations to the

Musée Jacquemart-André The Musée Jacquemart-André ( en, Jacquemart-André Museum) is a private museum located at 158 Boulevard Haussmann in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The museum was created from the private home of Édouard André (1833–1894) and Nélie Jacq ...

in 1912 and the

Musée Bonnat The Musée Bonnat-Helleu is an art museum in Bayonne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The museum was created in 1901 when Bayonne-born painter Léon Bonnat gave his extensive personal collections of art – notably an exceptional drawing collection � ...

in 1922. In accordance with the donor's wishes, the museum has retained its characters as an amateur's cabinet and private dwelling, and can neither lend nor expand the collection. File:Salon doré.jpg, Golden Lounge File:Zénithale.jpg, 1st Empire Gallery File:Salon d'Hercule 08-520430.jpg, Hercules' Room

Collection

Maurice Magnin (1861–1939), referendum councilor in Accounts Court and art lover, and his sister Jeanne (1855-1937), painter and amateur art critic, randomly put together, through public auctions, a collection of major artists and little known minor masters. Brother and sister "looked less for the often illusionary spark of great names than for a chain of talent throughout the ages".

Gallery

File:Jeanne Magnin.jpg, ''Jeanne Magnin'' File:Goulinat 95-022115.jpg, Jean-Gabriel Goulinat, ''Maurice Magnin's Portrait'', 1930

Paintings

The collectors manifested a predilection for the French School from the 16th to the 19th centuries, especially well represented. Important 17th century works from

Eustache Le Sueur Eustache Le Sueur or Lesueur (19 November 161730 April 1655) was a French artist and one of the founders of the French Academy of Painting. He is known primarily for his paintings of religious subjects. He was a leading exponent of the neoclas ...

Laurent de La Hyre Laurent de La Hyre (; 27 February 1606 – 28 December 1656) was a French Baroque painter, born in Paris. He was a leading exponent of the neoclassical style of Parisian Atticism. Life La Hyre was greatly influenced by the work of Italian ...

Sébastien Bourdon Sébastien Bourdon (2 February 1616 – 8 May 1671) was a French painter and engraver. His ''chef d'œuvre'' is ''The Crucifixion of St. Peter'' made for the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, Notre Dame. Biography Bourdon was born i ...

and

Jean Baptiste de Champaigne Jean Baptiste de Champaigne (10 December 1631, in Brussels – 27 October 1681, in Paris), was a Flemish Baroque painter and teacher. Biography According to the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD), he was the nephew of Philippe de ...

highlight this latter collection. The museum visit begins with the galleries dedicated to the Northern Schools. Here one can admires, among many others works of

Maerten de Vos Maerten de Vos, Maerten de Vos the Elder or Marten de Vos (1532 – 4 December 1603)Maerten de Vos
at the

Roelant Savery Roelant Savery (or ''Roeland(t) Maertensz Saverij'', or ''de Savery'', or many variants; 1576 – buried 25 February 1639) was a Flanders-born Dutch Golden Age painter. Life Savery was born in Kortrijk. Like so many other artists, he belonge ...

Jacobus Ferdinandus Saey Jacobus Ferdinandus Saey or Jacob Ferdinand Saeys (1658 – after 1726) was a Flemish painter who specialized in architectural paintings depicting gallant companies amidst imaginary Renaissance and Baroque palaces and buildings. After starting h ...

Bartholomeus van der Helst Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613 – buried 16 December 1670) was a Dutch painter. Considered to be one of the leading portrait painters of the Dutch Golden Age, his elegant portraits gained him the patronage of Amsterdam's elite as well as t ...

Jan Baptist Huysmans Jan Baptist Huysmans (born 1654 in Antwerp; died 1716 in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter active in Antwerp who is known for his Italianate and arcadian landscapes and architectural Capriccio (art), capricci. Life Jan Baptist Huysmans was born in A ...

, Jan Peeter Verdussen and

Gerard de Lairesse Gerard or Gérard (de) Lairesse (11 September 1641 – June 1711) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and art theorist. His broad range of skills included music, poetry, and theatre. De Lairesse was influenced by the Perugian Cesare Ripa and Fr ...

Gallery

File:Maerten de Vos - King Manasseh in exile.jpg,

Maerten de Vos Maerten de Vos, Maerten de Vos the Elder or Marten de Vos (1532 – 4 December 1603)Maerten de Vos
at the

, ''King Manasseh in exile'' File:Brueghel 99-019867.jpg,

Pieter Brueghel the Younger Pieter Brueghel (also Bruegel or Breughel) the Younger (, ; ; between 23 May and 10 October 1564 – between March and May 1638) was a Flemish painter, known for numerous copies after his father Pieter Bruegel the Elder's work as well as h ...

, ''Winter pleasures'', after 1565 File:Bijlert 09-530998.jpg,

Jan van Bijlert Jan Hermansz van Bijlert (1597 or 1598 – November 1671) was a Dutch Golden Age painter from Utrecht, one of the Utrecht Caravaggisti whose style was influenced by Caravaggio. He spent some four years in Italy and was one of the founders of the ...

, ''The banquet of gods'', middle 17th century File:La femme au livre.jpg,

, ''La femme au livre'', around 1665 Italian art is equally well represented, especially by the Venetian Schools of the 16th century (among which ''Christ and the Adultress'' by

Giovanni Cariani Giovanni Cariani (c. 1490–1547), also known as Giovanni Busi or Il Cariani, was an Italian painter of the high-Renaissance, active in Venice and the Venetian mainland, including Bergamo, thought to be his native city. Overview His father, ...

is one of the highlights) and the 18th century (

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( , ; March 5, 1696 – March 27, 1770), also known as Giambattista (or Gianbattista) Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an impo ...

Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini (29 April 1675 – 2 November 1741) was one of the leading Venetian history painters of the early 18th century. His style melded the Renaissance style of Paolo Veronese with the Baroque of Pietro da Cortona and L ...

...). There are also examples from both the Lombardian and Neapolitan Schools ( Giovanni Stefano Danedi called Montalto, Giovanni Battista Cerano,

Gaspare Traversi Gaspare Traversi (c. 1722 – 1 November 1770) was an Italian Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymme ...

...).

Gallery

File:Giovanni Cariani - Christ and the woman taken in adultery.jpg,

, ''Christ and the Adultress'', 1500s File:Alessandro Allori - Susanna and The Elders - WGA00186.jpg,

Alessandro Allori Alessandro di Cristofano di Lorenzo del Bronzino Allori (Florence, 31 May 153522 September 1607) was an Italian painter of the late Mannerist Florentine school. Biography In 1540, after the death of his father, Allori was brought up and trai ...

, ''Susanna and the Elders'', 1561 File:Strozzi-Giovan-Donato-Correggio-Magnin.jpg,

Bernardo Strozzi Bernardo Strozzi, named il Cappuccino and il Prete Genovese (c. 1581 – 2 August 1644) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver. A canvas and fresco artist, his wide subject range included history, allegorical, genre and portrait paintin ...

, ''Portrait of Correggio as Perseus'', c. 1631 File:Dolci 09-538511.jpg,

Carlo Dolci Carlo (or Carlino) Dolci (25 May 1616 – 17 January 1686) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Florence, known for highly finished religious pictures, often repeated in many versions. Biography He was born in Florence, ...

, ''Portrait of Coarlos Borromeus'', 1659 By choosing carefully, the Magnins accumulated an exceptional group of 17th French paintings. The two ''Putti Musicians'' by

, ''The dream of Poliphile'' by

and ''The Holy Family'' by

all illustrate the

Parisian Atticism In the history of art, Parisian Atticism is a movement in French painting from 1640 to 1660, when painters working in Paris elaborated a rigorous neo-classical style, seeking sobriety, luminosity and harmony, and referring to the Greco-Roman world. ...

of the years between 1640 and 1650.

Gallery

File:La Sainte-Famille.jpg,

, ''The Holy Family'', around 1650-1660 File:La Hyre 90-001586.jpg,

,'' Musician Putto'', around 1649 File:DE LA HYRE Laurent-Putto chantant-vers 1649.jpg, Laurent de La Hyre, ''Singing Putto'', around 1649 File:LE SUEUR Eustache-Poliphile au bain avec les nymphes-vers 1640.jpg,

, ''Poliphile in bath with the nymphs'', around 1640 The 18th century has not been neglected, but is more represented by drawings and paintings of minor masters (

Hyacinthe Collin de Vermont Hyacinthe Collin de Vermont (19 January 1693, Versailles – 16 February 1761, Paris) was a French painter. Collin de Vermont was a pupil of Jouvenet and of Rigaud.Hyacinthe Rigaud was his godfather, and it was from him that he got his first ...

Michel-François Dandré-Bardon Michel François André-Bardon (22 May 1700 – 13 April 1785) was a French history painter and etcher. Biography Early life He was born in Aix-en-Provence, France. He signed his name Dandré-Bardon, or D. Bardon, because his uncle, Louis Bardo ...

Jean-Baptiste Marie Pierre Jean-Baptiste Marie Pierre (6 March 1714 – 15 May 1789) was a French painter, draughtsman and administrator. Life He was a student of Charles-Joseph Natoire at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture and painted a self-portrait in ...

), than the grand painters like

Jean-Antoine Watteau Jean-Antoine Watteau (, , ; baptised October 10, 1684died July 18, 1721) Alsavailablevia Oxford Art Online (subscription needed). was a French painter and draughtsman whose brief career spurred the revival of interest in colour and movement, as ...

and

Jean-Honoré Fragonard Jean-Honoré Fragonard (; 5 April 1732 (birth/baptism certificate) – 22 August 1806) was a French painter and printmaker whose late Rococo manner was distinguished by remarkable facility, exuberance, and hedonism. One of the most prolific ar ...

whose works acquired by the Magnins are no longer attributed to them. The 19th century collection confirms the definitive and original taste of the collectors. Here one finds fewer beacons of Neo-classicism, Romanticism or Realism than paintings of

François-Xavier Fabre François-Xavier Fabre (1 April 1766 – 16 March 1837) was a French painter of historical subjects. Born in Montpellier, Fabre was a pupil of Jacques-Louis David, and made his name by winning the Prix de Rome in 1787. During the French Rev ...

, Pauline Gauffier or for the Post-revolutionary period the subtle and extremely rare landscapes of

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (or ''de Roucy''), also known as Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson or simply Girodet (29 January 17679 December 1824),Long, George. (1851) ''The Supplement to the Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of ...

. Their appreciation of the intimist works of the 1830s is obvious in their choice of artists such as

François Marius Granet François Marius Granet (17 December 1775 – 21 November 1849) was a French painter. Biography François Marius Granet was born on 17 December 1775 in Aix-en-Provence; his father was a small builder. As a boy his strong desires led his parents ...

Étienne Bouhot Étienne Bouhot (8 August 1780 – 17 July 1862) was a French Painting, painter and art teacher. Bouhot was born in Bard-lès-Époisses. He was the director of the ''École de Dessin'' (''School of Drawing'') in Semur-en-Auxois. He died in ...

or for the Romantic period,

Paul Delaroche Hippolyte-Paul Delaroche (17 July 1797 – 4 November 1856) was a French painter who achieved his greater successes painting historical scenes. He became famous in Europe for his melodramatic depictions that often portrayed subjects from English ...

Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard Alexandre-Évariste Coccinelle Fragonard (26 October 1780 – 10 November 1850) was a French painter and sculptor in the troubadour style. He received his first training from his father and drew from him his piquant subjects and great facility, p ...

Eugène Devéria Eugène François Marie Joseph Devéria (22 April 1805, in Paris – 3 February 1865, in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Pau) was a French Romanticism, Romantic history painter, portraitist and muralist. Biography He was one of five children born ...

Gallery

File:Girodet 99-019835.jpg,

Anne-Louis Girodet Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (or ''de Roucy''), also known as Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson or simply Girodet (29 January 17679 December 1824),Long, George. (1851) ''The Supplement to the Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of ...

, ''Italian landscape'', around 1793 File:La nuit sur la lagune.jpg,

Jules Bastien-Lepage Jules Bastien-Lepage (1 November 1848 – 10 December 1884) was a French painter closely associated with the beginning of naturalism, an artistic style that emerged from the later phase of the Realist movement. His most famous work is his lan ...

, ''Night on the lagoon'', 1881 File:Dubufe attr 12-501050.jpg,

Claude-Marie Dubufe Claude-Marie-Paul Dubufe (1790–1864) a French historical painting, historical, genre painting, genre and portrait painting, portrait painter, was born in Paris in 1790, and studied under Jacques-Louis David. His subjects were at first Classical ...

(attributed to), ''Woman with a turban'', around 1830 File:Delaroche 90-001588-02.jpg,

, ''Filippo Lippi et Lucrezia Buti'', 1822 The originality of this collection resides not only in the variety of artists represented but also in curiosity the Magnins had for the provincial schools. With Burgundian origins, Jeanne and Maurice involved themselves with art from their region as well as from Franche-Comté. Among some of the artists found at the museum, we can name

Jean Bardin Jean Bardin (1732–1809) was a French historical painter. Life Bardin was born at Montbard in 1732. He was a pupil of Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée and later studied at Rome. He became a popular artist in France, and was admitted into the Ac ...

, Bénigne Gagneraux, Jean-François Gilles Colson and Jean-Claude Naigeon.

Works of art and graphic arts

The Magnin Museum is not only dedicated to paintings. It brings together a wonderful body of drawing from French and foreign schools, and offers the visitor an ensemble of furniture, works of art and sculptures: in short, a choice of seductive works. One can stop to admire the ''Secrétaire de dame à double pente'' (Lady's secretary with double slope) with the stamp of Bon Durand (Master in 1761) or in front of the sober Commode of Courte, a cabinet-maker from Dijon. There are also a few sculptures in the collection such as

Auguste Préault Auguste may refer to: People Surname * Arsène Auguste (born 1951), Haitian footballer * Donna Auguste (born 1958), African-American businesswoman * Georges Auguste (born 1933), Haitian painter * Henri Auguste (1759–1816), Parisian gold an ...

's ''The Wave.'' File:Secrétaire en armoire.jpg, ''Writing desk in a cupboard'' File:Le Secrétaire à double pente.jpg, ''Lady’s secretary with a double slope'' File:Préault 12-513842.jpg, Auguste Préault, ''The Wave'', 1856 File:Parrocel JF-Vierge-Dijon.jpg, J-F. Parrocel, ''The Holy Virgin with Jesus''

Bibliography

* Brejon de Lavergnée Arnauld, ''Catalogue des tableaux et des dessins italiens (XVe-XIX siècles), Inventaire des collections publiques françaises'', Paris, 1980. * Exposition catalog, ''Éloge de la clarté, un courant artistique au temps de Mazarin'', Dijon, 1998. * Exposition catalog, ''Visions du déluge, de la Renaissance au XIXe siècle'', Paris, 2006. * Exposition booklet, ''Charles Meynier 1763-1832'', Paris, 2008 * Exposition album, ''Dessins français du XVIIe au XIXe siècle de la collection du musée Magnin'', Dijon, 2008 * Exposition catalog, ''Boucher et les peintres du Nord'', Paris, 2004. * Termeulen Vincent, ''Les arts mobiliers du musée Magnin'', Paris, 2008 * ''Les Peintures françaises'', illustrated catalogue, preface by Emmanuel Starcky, with contributions from Hélène Isnard, Paris, Dijon, musée Magnin, 2000.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Musee Magnin National museums of France Museums in Dijon Art museums and galleries in France Museums in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Museums in Côte-d'Or