The Musée Bourdelle, the studio-museum dedicated to the work of the famous French sculptor located in the heart of Paris' 15th arrondissement, is one of the capital's treasures. Renovated in March 2023, the museum takes us into the sculptor's studio and takes us through a tour of the collections adapted to young and old, supported by innovative mediation, as well as a café-restaurant named Le Rhodia, after Bourdelle's daughter.
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After seven months of total closure of the museum, we can now discover the completely redesigned and refurbished spaces, supported by innovative mediation. In addition to the restoration of thesculpture studio, the renovation has enabled a complete rethinking of the collections itinerary, with a new scenography and a redesigned mediation offer to enable a better understanding of Bourdelle's work.
The new, denser collections tour presents Bourdelle's work from a chronological and thematic angle, with contextualization to help visitors better understand the works and the context in which they were created. Visitors will also be able to discover works by Bourdelle's contemporaries and pupils, both from the Musée Bourdelle collections and from new deposits generously donated by institutions and private collections.
Another new feature is the opening of a café-restaurant called Le Rhodia, in place of the former apartment of Rhodia Dufet-Bourdelle, the sculptor's daughter. The space, which was transformed in 1947 by Art Deco master Michel Dufet, features large glass windows overlooking the famous hidden interior garden. A garden full of treasures. The space has been redesigned by SAME architects, who have respected the spirit of Dufet's decor while incorporating contemporary pieces. It features a beautiful, large L-shaped terrace overlooking the front garden, part of which is sheltered.
The renovation, carried out by ABN Architectes of Malakoff, also saw the restoration of thesculpture studio, which was kept in sanctuary by Bourdelle's wife after his death, until it was donated to the City of Paris in 1947. Visitors can now discover the sculptor's creative and working space, in a layout faithful to the spirit of Bourdelle's work.
Following conservation work, the furniture and the museum's emblematic works have been restored and returned to their original positions. These include the Dying Centaur, the marble torso of Pallas and the bust of Michel Cognacq. Some bronze sculptures added after the artist's death have been replaced by sculptures visible in period photographs, such as Beethoven aux deux mains, Jeanne Prinet, Femmes et roses and L'Infirmière.
In the studio, the hanging Christ and the medieval busts of bishops and the Virgin Mary have been reinstalled in their original positions, on the cleaned and rediscovered beam. Small sculptures take their place in the mezzanine showcase, and the textiles have been redone in the original spirit. The grey cupboard, left open when the workshops opened in 1938, has been left open so that visitors can discover the small works in clay and plaster it contains.
Last but not least, the renovation also saw the creation of a new 60-square-meter "salle des techniques", offering a range of exhibits focusing on the production process and the workshop's trades. Visitors will be able to discover the different stages in the creation of a work, thanks to a vast wall of manipulations combining original works to touch, materials, play, sound and digital devices.
The renovation of the Musée Bourdelle is therefore a real success, offering visitors a new space in which to discover and understand Bourdelle's work, as well as a pleasant, user-friendly restoration site. The work to save and consolidate the oldest building was carried out with respect for the architectural heritage that bears witness to Antoine Bourdelle's era.
Antoine Bourdelle, the famous French sculptor, took up residence at 16 Impasse du Maine in 1885. He left behind a studio-museum nestled in the 15th arrondissement, a stone's throw from the Montparnasse district.
In accordance with the artist's wishes, his collections are housed in the studios where he worked and lived. This makes the Musée Bourdelle a place steeped inhistory andauthenticity, allowing us to plunge into the intimacy of the visionary sculptor.
The museum's Grand Hall, built in 1961 by architect Henri Gautruche to mark the 100th anniversary of Bourdelle's birth, delights fans ofarchitecture and sculpture with Bourdelle's monumental plasterwork. There are also works inspired by ancient Greece, its gods and heroes.
Thinkers will be delighted to stroll along the street garden, where the four figures of the Monument au général Alvéar (1913-1923) - La Liberté, La Force, La Victoire, L'Eloquence - are on display. On the inner garden side, in the familiar maze of the studios, you'll love discovering Bourdelle's bronzes!
The Musée Bourdelle regularly organizes temporary exhibitions for a fee. On the other hand, the permanent spaces are freely accessible all year round. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
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Location
Bourdelle Museum
16/18, rue Antoine Bourdelle
75015 Paris 15
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
Official website
www.bourdelle.paris.fr
More information
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
