Léon-Honoré Labande (1867-1939) was a French museum curator, historian and archivist. He was the curator of the Calvet Museum in

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

from 1890 to 1906. He was the archivist of the Prince's Palace of Monaco from 1906 to 1939. He was the author of many books about prominent families from

Provence Provence is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which stretches from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the France–Italy border, Italian border to the east; it is bordered by the Mediterrane ...

, the city of Avignon, and the principality of

Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...

Early life

Léon-Honoré Labande was born on 17 September 1867 in Orrouy, France. His father was a schoolteacher. He was mentored from an early age by Count Armand Doria, an aristocrat and art collector. Labande was educated at the Saint-Lucien Seminary in Beauvais. He graduated from the École Nationale des Chartes in 1890.

Career

Labande was an archivist in

Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...

, England, and in

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

, France. He was the curator of the Avignon Library and the Calvet Museum in

from 1890 to 1906. He was elected as the secretary of the Académie de Vaucluse in 1892. He was the president of the ''Société vauclusienne des amis des arts''. Labande was appointed as the archivist of the Prince's Palace of Monaco on 1 April 1906, replacing Gustave Saige. He served as archivist for the next three decades. He assisted Louis II, Prince of Monaco in refurbishing the palace, retrieving old paintings, carpets and

faience Faience or faïence (; ) is the general English language term for fine tin-glazed pottery. The invention of a white Ceramic glaze, pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an stannous oxide, oxide of tin to the Slip (c ...

acquired by Honoré II, Prince of Monaco and lost during the French Revolution and

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

. Moreover, following the prince's wishes to turn Monaco into a cultural center, he organised conferences about the arts annually. Meanwhile, Labande was appointed as the director of the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology. Additionally, he served as a member and subsequently president of the

Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...

. Labande authored many books about prominent families from

, the city of

, and the principality of

. He served on the editorial board of the '' Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France''. Labande was appointed as a member of the

Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres The () is a French learned society devoted to history, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the . The academy's scope was the study of ancient inscriptions (epigraphy) and historical literature (see Belles-lettres). History ...

in 1927, replacing Henry Cochin. He was Grand Officer of the Order of Saint-Charles and Knight of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

. He was also a recipient of the Order of Vasa from

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Personal life

Labande was married with two daughters.

Death

Labande died on 21 September 1939 in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.

Bibliography

*''Les Doria de France : Provence, Avignon et Comté Venaissin, Bretagne, Ile-de-France'' (1899). *''Étude historique et archéologique sur St. Trophime d'Arles du ive au xiiie siècle'' (1904). *''La Cathédrale de Vaison : étude historique et archéologique'' (1905). *''Avignon au xiiie siècle'' (Paris, 1908). *''Le Palais des papes d’Avignon et les monuments historiques d’Avignon au xive siècle'' (1925). *''Notice sur la vie et les travaux de Henry Cochin, membre de l'Académie'' (1928). *''Les Primitifs français; Peintres et peintres-verriers de la Provence occidentale'' (Marseille: Librairie Tacussel, 1932). *''Histoire de la Principauté de Monaco'' (1934). *''Les Bréa, peintres niçois des xve et xvie siècles en Provence et en Ligurie'' (Nice: Éditions des Amis du Musée Masséna, 1937).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Labande, Leon-Honore 1867 births 1939 deaths People from Oise Writers from Avignon French archivists 19th-century French historians Members of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres Grand Officers of the Order of Saint-Charles Knights of the Legion of Honour Recipients of the Order of Vasa École Nationale des Chartes alumni 20th-century French historians