Musée Albert-André

Albert-André Museum: the museum of friendship. The first provincial museum of modern art
It was the painter Albert André (1869-1954) who, becoming curator in 1917, made the encyclopedic museum of Bagnols sur-Cèze the first museum of contemporary art in the province. It was quickly taken as a model by Grenoble and Saint-Tropez.

Described as a museum of friendship, the collection is enriched thanks to donations made by painters who are friends of the curator. The masters Renoir and Monet gave him the expected support, as did the artists of his generation: Georges D'Espagnat, Louis Valtat, Jean Puy...

“Young painting” from the 1950s
From the 1950s, the “Young Painting” movement advocated a return to figuration. The museum is particularly rich in evidence of this new figurative wave: Bardone, Génis, Guiramand combine tradition and modernity in the jubilation of color, soon followed by Lesieur, Collomb, Lorjou, Minaux, Brasilier, Petit, Parsus, Rodde and more recently by Cayol, Cottavoz, Maly, Steiner…

The collection of George Besson
All these artists have one thing in common, their proximity to the art critic George Besson who was their ardent defender, notably in Les Lettres françaises.

The latter, in the twilight of his life and in agreement with his wife, gave his collection to the State with deposit of part in Bagnols sur-Cèze. This is how the Friendship Museum prides itself on presenting some emblematic masterpieces of 14th century art such as July XNUMX at Havre by Marquet, The Open Window in Nice by Matisse, the Bouquet of Flowers des champs by Bonnard or Portrait of Adèle Besson by Van Dongen.

Minimum group size: 15 people

Free entry for all
Guided tour: €3 per person
Group rate: €4 per person