Musée Fabre

Montpellier, France

The Musée Fabre was founded by François-Xavier Fabre, a Montpellier painter, in 1825. It is one of the main sights of Montpellier. The town of Montpellier was given thirty paintings in 1802 which formed the basis of a modest municipal museum under the Empire, moving between various temporary sites. In 1825, the town council accepted a large donation of works from Fabre and the museum was installed in the refurbished Hôtel de Massillian, officially opened on 3 December 1828. Fabre's generosity led others to follow his example, notably Antoine Valedau who donated his collection of Dutch and Flemish masters to the city. On the death of Fabre in 1837, a legacy of more than a hundred pictures and drawings completed the collection.

In 1864, Jules Bonnet-Mel, an art collector from Pézenas, bequeathed 400 drawings and 28 paintings. In 1868, Alfred Bruyas offered the works from his private gallery to the city. He is credited with having moved the museum collection into the modern era. In 1870, Jules Canonge, from Nîmes, gave a collection of more than 350 drawings. A legacy of Bruyas of more than 200 works completed his gift in 1877.

In 1968, Mme Sabatier d'Espeyran in accordance with the will of her husband, a diplomat and great bibliophile, gave to the city their hôtel particulier, built under the Third Republic along with its contents.

Around 2001, the Library moved out of the complex, freeing a sizeable area and offering the chance to carry out a major modernisation and enhancement of the building. This took four years and included a whole new wing. The building re-opened in 2007.

On display are ceramics from Greece and the rest of Europe. Furthermore, the museum has a large collection of paintings from the 17th until the 19th century, with a large representation of the luminophiles movement. There is also sculptures.

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Founded: 1825
Category: Museums in France

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Robert Baracz (14 months ago)
Very focused museum with amazing art. There's more of the classics than modern.
Adam Wright (2 years ago)
For 9 euro this museum was an amazing experience! The guards and admissions people were extremely nice and helpful showing which way to get to the next level. You can get lost in here with all the amazing paintings and sculptures. One of the best museums I've ever been to.
Àngel Agustí Cristau (2 years ago)
Really nice museum in Montpellier. A variety of art of different periods in the exposition. A really recommendable visit.
Nicolò Rubacuori (2 years ago)
Although the museum houses some really intriguing works of art, it does not manage to catch the interest of the observer with well done themed rooms or catching descriptions. An art museum like any other.
Thibaud Fournier (3 years ago)
Always free on the first Sunday of the month, this museum has paintings from the middle age and Renaissance as well as more modern pieces. There's also expositions from living artists which are changing every 6 months.
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