One room is devoted to Fine Arts, particularly the paintings of Jean-André Rixens (1846-1925), who was born in Saint-Gaudens and studied under Yvon at the Paris School of Fine Arts, and also under Gérôme (1824-1904).
Rixens was a portraitist and painter of natural history subjects, who left many portraits of the ‘haute bourgeoisie’ and the aristocracy. His works can be seen in many public buildings of the IIIe République. One such is the Salle des Illustres in the Capitole, the City Hall of Toulouse.
Saint-Gaudens Museum
The magnificent collection of porcelain known as "Bleu de Valentine"
The museum houses the finest public collection of Valentine porcelain in the world.
The city of Saint Gaudens has been associated with porcelain since 1829. The Fouque-Arnoux family were makers of fine ceramics from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie in South-East France who chose that year to settle in Saint Gaudens on the banks of the Garonne, just opposite the village of Valentine, to start a new production: porcelain.
It came to be known, after the beautiful dark blues with which it was decorated, as "Bleu de Valentine".
Fine Arts
Exhibitions
On the first floor, the large room reserved for temporary exhibitions carries displays of contemporary artists such as Claude Viallat or Richard Texier, as well as special events such as the 800th anniversary of the Charter of Saint-Gaudens, the 100th anniversary of the death of the American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) or an introduction to Jean Bepmale (1852-1921), the great photographer of the Pyrenees.
Ethnography
Since the early 1960s, the ground floor of the Museum has displayed a collection of items associated with traditional crafts and also the reconstitution of a domestic interior typical of the Comminges region at the end of the 19th Century.
History
The Saint-Gaudens Municipal Museum is housed in the old Neo-Classical Town Hall.
This was built between 1874 and 1876 after the demolition of the previous Town Hall that burnt down in 1869. The Nébouzan coat of arms decorating the south door is a vestige of the original building.
The Great Charter of Saint-Gaudens (1202) is preserved here.
The museum was founded in 1962 and took over the entire building in 1968 after the municipal services moved to the 18th Century town house of the Tatareau family.
Saint-Gaudens Municipal Museum
6 place de Mas Saint-Pierre
Boulevard Jean Bepmale
31800 Saint-Gaudens
Tél : 05 61 89 05 42
Mel : musee.stgaudens@wanadoo.fr
Web : www.mairiestgaudens.fr
Museum opening times
Tuesday to Saturday
10am-12 noon and 2pm-6pm
Closed on national holidays
Things to see and do
To learn more
Rates
Museum entry
Adults €3,
Under-eights, students and groups: €1.50
Entry to Museum and Temporary Exhibition
Adults €4,
Under-eights, students and groups: €2