Museum

Vol I, n 1/2, 1948

The Museums of France
Les Muses de France
141 U
MUSEUM, successor to hlouseion, is published by the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, in Paris. MUSEUM serves as a quarterly
survey of activities and nicans of research in the field
of museography. Opinions expressed by individual
contributors are not nccessarily those of Unesco.
Musauhi, qui succPde Alouseion, est publi Paris
par lOrganisation des Nations Unies pour Iedu-
cation, la science et laculture. bI USEUM, revue tri-
mestrielle, est lafois un priodique dinformation
et un instrument de recherche dans ledomaine de la
musographie. Les opinions cxprimCes par les auteurs
ne reflbtent pas ncessairement celles de 1Uncsco.
BOARD OF EDITORS / COMI Td DE RDACTI ON
Torsten Althin, Stockholm
Leigh Ashton, London
Martin Baldwin, Toronto
J ulien Cain, Paris
Cheng Te-Kun, Chengtu
Daniel Defenbacher, hIinneapolis
Nicolas Dclgado, Quito
AndrC LCveill, Paris
Gottfried W. Locher, Leiden
August Loehr, Vienna
Grace L. hlcCann Morlcy, Paris
H. O. McCurry, Ottawa
Kasimierz Michalowski, Waniiua
J iri Neustupny, Prague
P. Norlund, Copcnhagen
Frans Olbrechts, Ghent
Albert E. Parr, New York
A. R. Penfold, Sydney
Daniel Catton Rich, Chicago
Paul Rivet, Paris
Georges Hcnri Rivikre, Paris
D. C. Rell, Amsterdam
Daniel F. Rubin de la Borbolla, Mexico City
Gcorgcs Salles, Paris
W. J . H. B. Sandberg, Amsterdam
Herman Shaw, London
Philippe Stern, Paris
George Stout, Worccstcr, Mass.
Bengt Thordeman, Stockholm
Achille Urbain, Paris
J ose Valladares, Bahia
An ADVISORY EDITORIAL CoMhiiTTmrepresenting
countries in which the International Council of
Museums has national committees is at the present
time being organized. The complete list of names
will be published in subsequent numbers of hIusEUM.
Un COMITS DE n6mcrioN CONSULTATIF, oh seront
reprsentes les pays dans lesquels existent des Co-
mitCs nationaux du Conseil international des Musees,
est actuellement en voie de formation. La liste
cornplPte des noms sera publie dans les numtros
ultkrieurs de MUSEUM.
Annual sukri pti on rate (4 issues or corresponding
double issues) : $7.00 - 35 s. / Abonnement annuel
(4numros ou numeros doubles Cquivalents): fr. I>OO
Editorial and Publishing Offices / Rdaction et
Edition: UNESC0,IgAvenue Klber, Paris 16e,France.
S E U
Unesco Publication 627
FOR~WORD, by the Director-General of Unesco 1 Avant-propos, par le Direc-
teur ghral de lUnesco. I
EDI TORI AL : MUSEUM an Museums 1 MUSEUM et les mushcs. 2
GEORGES SALLES : Les muses de France 1 The Museums of France
~~~i HUY GI ~E : Le remaniement du dpartement des peintures e t la Grande Galerie, Muse
di4 Loutlre Changes in the Department of Paintings and the Grande Galerie, Louvre
lsAN CHARBONNEAUS : La rinstallation des collections dantiquit.r grecques e t romaines,
Mfi{& (/ir Louvre Rein rfallation of the Collections of Greek and Roman Antiquities,
Loirure
ANDR~. PARROT : L e diparfernent des antiquitis orienfules, Mu s l e du Louvre 1 The Depart-
ment of Oriental Antiquities, Louvre
PIERRE VERLET ; Le dipartment des objets dart, Muse du Louvre 1 The Department
of Oblats dart, Louvre
J ACQUES VANDIER : Nouvelle prsentation des collections gvptiennes, Muse du Louvre I
Thd nen~ Arrangement of the Eupt i an Collections, Louvre
MARCEL AUBERT : Lcale du Louvre 1 The Ecole du Louvre
GERMAIN BAZIN : Une exprience, l e Muse de lImpressionnisme 1 An Experiment, the
J EAN CASSOU : Le Muse dart moderne 1 The Muse dart moderne
PHILIPPE STERN : Musographie au Muse Guimet 1 Mu.reogra]dy at the Muse Guimet
J EAN VERGNET-RUIZ : Organisation gnrale des muses de provincp I Generd O~qaani~ation
J EAN VERGNET-RUIZ : Chteau de Compigne
A c n i L m URBAI N - PAUL RODE : Les collections dhistoire naturelle 1 French Natural
PAUL R ~vm : Opnisation dun muse dethnolq<ie 1 Organiration of an Ethnological
RoGmPALCK : Technique de prsentdon des vitrines au Mush de lhomme 1 Methods of
ANDR L~.vEI I .L~. : Le Palais de la Dicouverte 1 The Palais de la Dicouverte
YVON RIZAR DEL : Collections municipales de Paris 1 The Mi4nicipal Collections of Paris
FRANOIS BOCCH~R : Le Muse Carnavaht 1 The Muse Carnavalrt
SUZANNE KAHN : Le Petit Palais 1 The Petit Palais
RENO GROI ~SSET : L e Alusle Cernuschi 1 The Ah e Cernuschi
Ifrzpressionist Museum
oj the Provincial A4useums
Ilistory Collections
ilfuseuni
Cuse-Displuy used at the Musbe de lhomme
7
II
3 0
33
37
/ 6
60
68
70
7/
RI
8/
88
89
MUSEUMS AND EDUCATION 1 LES MUSfiES ET T,ENSEIGNEMENT
1
EDITORTAL I 2 I
HARRY O. ~~C C U R R Y : Educational Work i n Canadian hfuseums 1 Les activits Pducofves
GSTA SI;.LLING : Educational Work in Swedish Museums Les activits ducatives des
BRUNO F. GE~HARD : The Cleveland Health Museum 1 Le Muse dbygi2ne de Cleveland
P.-M. BARDI : Lexprience didactique du Museu de Art e de So Paulo 1 An Educational
CHENG TE-KIJ N : The West China Union University Museum 1 L e muse de la West
ha. L ~VEI L L L : 130?4r un muse international de Ia civilisation 1 ProposaIfor an I nt w
2 7
130
134
des muses canadiens
muses sjrdois
138
Experiment at the Museu de Arte. So Paulo
Chino Uniow Uniiersity
nntiontrl Af i ~scz x of Ciililqation
143
I4.J
CONTENTS
TABLE DES MATIBRES
III
CHILDREN and the Museum I Lenfant e t les nruses
77
178
MARGARET M. DRAYTON : Childrens Work in hluseums 1 L e s muses au serik-e de lenfant
ELEANOR M. MOORE : Promoting Inferriutional Friendship throttgh hlttseun! Edttcafion 1
MOLLY HAKRI soN : A new Approach t o Histoty in a London h h e u m 1 un muse de
LOUISE CONDIT : The Junior Museum at the Metropolitan 1 Le muse des.jet/nes au Metro-
Le mu e , centre denlente internationale
Londres prsente lhistoire SOUS un jour nouueau
83
I 88
politun 19 . ?
IV
THE FILM nnd the , I r t ilfuseum 1 Le jilnz e t les mus4t.r dart
GORDON MIRAMS : Ihe Function of the Art Film Le rle dufilm dart
9 6
19 8
en Italie 204
les tnuses n2oderne.r 208
FRANCISCO hloNo-rrr : Ar t und the Camera ,Eye in Itab 1 L ar t s0.w l ceil de lcr camera
USE OF the hilotion Picture in Museums of the Present Dgy 1 Ltttilisation du film dans
' U nesco takes pleaswe in lazlnching M U S E U M for the benefit of
the museums of the world, on whom Unesco calls direct4 for co-operation in its
programme and for aid in its work of establishing the intercultural and international
anderstanding basic t o the peace of the world.
L'Unesco est heureuse de prsider atl lancement de M U S E U M, revue
destine aux muses du monde entier auxqzlels I' Organisation f ai t appel directement
pour qzl'ils cooprent la mise en cewre de son programme, e t I'aident instaurer,
entre les difirentes cdtures e t les dffkrentes nations, cette comprhension qui est
indispensable la pai x mondiale.
D I R E C T O R - G E N E R A L , U N E S C O
D I R E C T E U R G d N k R A L D E ' L ' U N E S C O
M U S E U M
" 01. U l l E I N o 1- 2 1 9 4 8
MUSEUM d n d Maseam
2
he first issue of MUSEUM appropriately turns the attention of museum pro-
T fessionals of the world on the museums of France. The first international
museum conference since the war takes place in Paris in J une, and the French
museums act as hosts. Always among the great museums of the world for
their collections, and for their standards of scholarship and technical develop-
ment, the French museums are resuming operation after the long interruption
of the war years with renewed vigour, with a new orientation in many cases,
and with broader purposes in general than before. Collections are being
revised, buildings renovated, and installations modified to achieve clearer
presentation for the benefit of the general public and in the interests of
scientific improvement. The articles and illustrations in this number describe
the guiding principles and the outstanding examples of various categories of
French museums. The writers, active museum professionals who have carried
out this work of reorganization, are recognized leaders among the museo-
graphers of Europe, and they have given much thought to the problems in
their respective fields, Their solutions, sensitively adapted to conditions in
their own country, cannot fail to be of interest, and to suggest ideas to musecm
workers elsewhere. The Editors of MUSEUM appreciate their contributions to
this first number, and hope that these articles will prompt comment and dis-
cussion. They would particularly welcome remarks and notes from museum
professionals, in order to build up a lively department of professional technical
exchange in subsequent numbers of the periodical.
MUSEUM begins publication with a double number for technical publishing
reasons. The volume for 1948 will be completed before the end of the year.
I n later years, the more usual practice of four quarterly issues will normally
be observed.
/
unesCo launches the periodical in response to the insistent demand of the
mUSeUM professionals who remember, with gratitude, the useful services of
~ ~ ~ ~ j ~ ~ , formerly published by the International Museums Office of the
League of Nations. Unlilte its predecessor, MUSEUM will be restricted to purely
technical, museographical matters. It will, however, be more inclusive, for it
will Serve science museums and museums of every other kind, as well as those
in the fields of art, archacology and history, which were the sole interest of
Mouejob. Printed in French and English, MUSEUM seeks to reach a much
larger world audience than the former Mozlseion, which was influential princi-
pally in Continelltal Europe. After the initial period - an interval sufficient
for the periodical to take form and to reach the museum professionals
throughout the world, and to enlist their support - MUSEUM must depend
largely on them for its continued existence, for its growth, and also for the
form that it will eventually take. Unesco expects MUSEUM to become a medium
for the exchange of professional opinion and of technical advice, and to serve
as a stimulus to museums and museum workers in the development of their
services to society, in all the fields of knowledge and expression in which they
operate. It sees in MUSEUM a means of malting instances of effective and useful
museums work known quickly and clearly to museums everywhere, for the
benefit of all. Above all, Unesco looks to MUSEUM as an aid to its own general
aims, and to those of its endeavours in which museums, through visual and
three-dimensional illustration by means of original objects, can communicate
and instruct in a manner unique to themselves - thus enlisting the museum
professionals in thc common task of spreading knowledge and of promoting
international understanding as a positive contribution to peace.
The International Council of Museums gives its support to MUSEUM, and
the first number appears at the time of the First Biennial Conference of ICOM
in Paris, J une 28 - J uly 3 . The Council will appoint the Advisory Editorial
Board and the Contributing Editors from the various nations active in museum
development. The Board of Editors - a working group drawn from the
profession at large - is composed of distinguished museum professionals, re-
cognized as leaders in museographical techniques and museum development in
the modern world. They are known for their initiative and energy in spreading
the doctrines of modern museum growth and service, by example and by the
spoken and written word, among their colleagues and among the general
cultivated public, both in their own countries and internationally. The names
already enrolled in this group as listed on the inside cover represent a cross-
section of professional lcadership in all the fields of museums. Others will
join them as further acceptances of this responsibility are received and as the
periodical itself develops.
MUSEUM is published for the museum profession, but it is intended to
Promote a broader cause than museography . It proposes to help museums and
museum worlters to render greater service in the world of to-day - furnishing
a means for them to develop their profession, their techniques and their pro-
grammes by reciprocal aid and counsel. It can marshal all the resources of
museum collections, of the experts on museum staffs, and of the scholarly
whose studies are based on museum material, for the benefit of
general public cnlightenment and cducation in the broadest sense.
'
3
In this first number, MUSEUM appeals to all museum professionals every-
where for their support, their active participation, their criticism, their leader-
ship. MUSEUM provides Unescos direct avenue of communication with
museum workers throughout the world, and it is their immediate and direct
connexion with Unesco and its work. I n it museum professionals can realize
their strivings for public service, in ways appropriate to their specialties,
but on the broadest of planes, in most intellectual and cultural fields.
MUSEUM e t Zes muses
4
e premier numro de MUSEUM attire fort heureusement lattention des
L musologues du monde entier sur les muses de France. La premire
confrence internationale des muses runie depuis la guerre se tient Paris
en juin et les muses de France en sont les htes. Ces muses, qui comptrent
toujours parmi les plus importants du monde, tant par la richesse de leurs col-
lections que par la comptence professionnelle et technique de leurs chefs,
retrouvent, aprs la longue interruption des annes de guerre, toute leur
activit. Leurs efforts accrus tendent, dans bien des cas, vers une orientation
nouvelle et des objectifs plus larges. Ces muses revisent leurs collections,
modernisent leurs locaux et modifient leurs installations, pour assurer aux
objets exposs une prsentation plus claire, aussi bien dans lintrt du
grand public que dans celui des spcialistes. Les articles et illustrations de ce
premier numro dcrivent les principes directeurs des activits des divers
types de muses fransais et mettent en valeur les exemples les plus remar-
quables de leur mise en application. Les auteurs de ces articles sont des muso-
graphes de tout premier ordre et ce sont eux qui se sont activement occups
de cette rorganisation. Ils ont pes tous les problmes qui se posaient dans
leurs domaines daction respectifs et les solutions quils proposent rpondent
aussi bien que possible aux conditions de leur pays. Leurs articles ne sauraient
manquer de prsenter un vif intrt et dtre riches en suggestions pour leurs
collgues trangers. Les directeurs de MUSEUM apprcient vivement la colla-
boration ainsi apporte ce premier numro et souhaitent que ces articles
suscitent des commentaires et des discussions. Ils invitent donc les profes-
sionnels des muses leur faire parvenir de brves notes et observations leur
sujet. Ainsi il sera possible dorganiser dans les numros suivants une section
vivante consacre aux commentaires et aux changes dinformations muso-
graphiques.
Pour des raisons techniques, MUSEUM dbute par un numro double, La
srie de 1948 doit tre acheve avant la fin de lanne, mais pour les annes
I

SdVIOnt, notre revue se conformera la pratique courante en publiant
quatre numros par an.
~ L,unesco lance ce priodique pour rpondre aux sollicitations pressantes
dis musologues qui se souviennent avec gratitude des grands services rendus
par MoHejon, revue publie prcddemment par lOffice international des Mu-
s~es de la Socit des Nations. Ce nouveau priodique diffre de son prdces-
seur en ce quil se consacrera exclusivement des questions de technique. Mais
il embrassera cet gard un domaine plus vaste car, contrairement Mozlseion
qui S,OCCUpait exclusivement dart, darchologie et dhistoire, MUSEUM sin-
tbressera galement aux sciences, y compris les sciences appliques. Publie en
fransais et en anglais, la revue sefforcera de toucher dans le monde entier un
public beaucoup plus large que ne le faisait Mozlseion dont linfluence sexer-
principalement sur le continent europen. Aprs la priode initiale, dune
durCe suffisante pour que ce priodique prenne forme et atteigne son public,
MUSEUM devra dpendre en grande partie des musograplies pour perptuer
son existence, pour se dvelopper et arriver sa forme dfinitive. LUnesco
compte sur ses abonns pour assurer les changes de vues professionnelles et
de conseils techniques. LUnesco est convaincue que cette publication sera un
puissant instrument qui encouragera les muses et les techniciens de muses
servir plus efficacemcnt le grand public dans tous les domaines de leur res-
sort. LOrganisation voit en cette revue le moyen de faire connatre tous
les muses, rapidement, pour le bnfice de tous, les meilleures et les plus
fcondes ralisations musographiques ; mais avant tout, elle espre que ce
piriodique servira aussi de tremplin la mise en aeuvre de son programme
gnral, et plus particulirement dans tous les domaines o les muses pr-
sentent un potentiel unique dinstruction et daction, puisquils montrent les
objets eux-mmes, dans leur matrialit plastique. LUnesco voit enfin en
MUSEUM un alli qui laidera enr6ler les spcialistes en vue de la lutte com-
mune pour la diffusion de la connaissance et de la comprhension inter-
nationale indispensables la paix.
Le,Conseil international des Muses accorde tout son appui cette publi-
cation. Le premier numro parat au moment o se runit Paris la premire
Confrence biennale de ~ I COM (28 juin - 3 juillet). Le Conseil dsignera le
(hi t consultatif de rdaction ainsi que les divers correspondants repr-
mtant les pays qui jouent un rle particulirement actif dans ce domaine. Le
Comit excutif de rdaction groupe des spcialistes minents, choisis parmi
tous les rcprsentants de la profession. Ce sont des personnalits dont lavis fait
autorit en matire de technique musographique et bien connues par leur esprit
dinitiative et lnergie avec laquelle, par lexemple, la parole et Icrit, elles r-
Pandent, parmi Icurs collgues et le public cultiv en gnral, les doctrines mo-
dernes et le rle du muse dans Ic monde actuel. Les membres dj dsigns, dont
les noms figurent dans ce numro, constituent un groupe minent dautorits
Professionnelles. Dautres se joindront eux mesure quils accepteront
dassumer cette charge et que le priodique lui-mme prendra son plein essor.
MUSEUM est destin aux spdcialistes des muses; mais il veut exercer son
influence dans un domaine plus vaste que la musographie. Ce priodique se
proPose daider les muses et leur personnel mieux servir le monde dau-
jourdhui, en leur procurant le moyen de se perfectionner sur le plan profession-
nel, technique et thorique grce une aide et des conseils rciproques. II les
aidera mettre au service du grand public, pour son ducation dans son sens
le plus large, toutes les ressources des niusdes : non seulement les collections
elles-mmes mais surtout la coniptcnce des musographes et les rsultats des
travaux scientifiques dont les sources ont t puises dans le matricl dtude
des muses.
Dans ce premier numro, MUSEUM fait appel tous les musograplics
pour enrler leur participation active, susciter leurs critiques, leurs directives.
Cest grce ce priodique que lUnesco entrera en rapport direct avec les
muses du monde et que ceux-ci seront eux-mmes en contact immddiat avec
lUnesco et son aeuvre. Par lui, enfin, les musologues pourront raliser ce
ct de leur responsabilit professionnelle qui touche au servicedu grand public,
mais sur le vaste plan de la plupart des domaines intellectuels et culturels.
M U S B E S D E F R A N C E
F R E N C H N A T I O N A L M U S E U M S
L E S M U S E S D E
a guerre avait vid tous les muses de France. Quand larmistice nous eut permis
L de reprendre, tant bien que mal, le train de vie habituel dun peuple civilis, il
nous fallut songer non seulement ramener nos collections au logis, mais aussi
profiter de leur exode momentan pour les trier, les regrouper, les quiper selon de
nouveaux plans et pour mettre en ordre la maisqn.
Lasituation matrielle nous y invitait pui due nous tions dans le cas dun par-
ticulier qui, ayant rcupr ses meubles et ce3>objets, se rinstalle aprs un dmnage-
ment.
Nous tions, dautre part, moralement tenus de le faire sur une grande chelle car
une ordonnance du I 3 juillet I 94 5 , reproduisant dans ses grandes lignes la loi du I o
aot 1941, avait transform la direction des muses nationaux en direction des
muses de France et avait confi celle-ci, outre la gestion des muses de beaux-arts,
dhistoire et darchologie appartenant lEtat, le contrle de tous les muses de
mmes catgories appartenant des collectivits. Dans son article sur les muses de
province, M. Vergnet-Ruiz expose le dtail de cette nouvelle organisation que nous
devons linitiative prise en 1941 par mon prdcesseur J acques J aujard. J e me
bornerai donc indiquer ici de quelle manire nom nous sommes proposs dem-
ployer linstrument lgal que nous avions en mains.
Les mrites et les torts de ladministration franaise et, pourrait-on ajouter, de la
vie mme de notre pays, proviennent, on ladit souvent, dune centralisation qui, mal
comprise, tend congestionner la capitale, mais qui, sagement applique, permet au
contraire de rpartir les ressources de la tte travers le corps de la nation.
Cest dans ce sens quil faut interprter*lesprit de notre loi qui ne modifie en
rien la situation juridique des collections contrles, patrimoine exclusif des collec-
tivits, mais qui associe 1Etat leur conservation, A leur entretien, A leur mise en
valeur scientifique et esthtique.
Les lecteurs de la revue MUSEUM sont les premiers savoir que notre
activit professionnelle exige dsormais des disciplines aussi prcises et minutieuses
que toute autre carrire scientifique. Une technique musographique sest constitue,
OU plutt slabore, pour rpondre aux questions sans cesse renouveles que pose
linstitution du muse, aujourdhui en pleine croissance. De mme que le livre et la
radio, le muse tend devenir un des principaux moyens de la connaissance; il doit
sadapter toutes les matires et tous les publics, tre la la fois un moyen dtu.de et
un spectacle suggestif, un conservatoire et un organe de grande diffusion, brcf il doit
runir, sous un mkme toit et lusage de tous, ce quon*va chercher ailleurs : lcole,
au thtre, au laboratoire ou dans le cabinet dun particulier. De mme que les modes
changeantes de lmil et de lesprit, les progrs matriels, et notamment ceux concer-
nant lclairage ou lusage de produits nouveaux, rclament de nous, dans lexercice
de mr c profession, une incessante mise jour.
Or, dans la province franaise, les muses taient, sauf de rares exceptions, rests
tels que les avaient amnags nos arrires-grands-parents, il y a trois quarts de sicle
Ou Plus. Lquipement, le classement, la conservation, tout tait reprendrz. Des
dun type jadis inconnu, taient installer auprks des anciens. Pour assurer
ette tche il tait ncessaire de la confier un personnel spcialement duqu. Cest
a quoi vise notre rforme. Linspection gnrale des muses de province, en liaison
directe avec la conservation des muses nationaux dune part, et, de lautre, avec les
multi~les centres provinciaux, recense les collections, dresse les programmes, con-
court leur ralisation par lenvoi de missions, de subventions et de dpts. J e tiens
F R A N C E
par GEORGES SAL L ES
7
rendre ici hommage toute la part prise par M. G.-H. Rivitre llaboration de
ces programmes.
LEcole du Louvre, elle aussi rforme et devenue cole professionnelle, fournit
lquipe rajeunie qui propage en province les mthodes enseignes et pratiques
Paris. Notre centralisation administrative nest en somme quun moyen de dcentra-
lisation technique. Un mcanisme a t mont qui, permettant de diffuser travers
tout le pays les mthodes musographiques actuelles, place dsormais sur la mme
ligne muses nationaux et muses de province et les engage dans une salutaire con-
currence.
Les probltmes qui se posent Paris sont de mme sorte que ceux qui se posent
ailleurs. Dans un vieux pays comme le ntre, il sagit autant de rnover des collections
anciennes que douvrir des sries nouvelles, autant dquiper de faon moderne des
btiments anciens que de construire de nouveaux locaux.
Les sries chinoises et japonaises du Louvre ayant t dposes Guimet, et les
sries gyptiennes ayant t transportes de Guimet au Louvre, on peut dire que les
collections du Louvre prdsentent aujourdhui un univers cohrent qui groupe autour
de notre civilisation occidentale toutes celles qui ont, de prs ou de loin, particip
sa naissance.
Ces civilisations furent celles qui, depuis le commencement des ges, gravitrent
autour du bassin mdditerranen, soit en cette partie de lAsie qui, de lIran la cte
syrienne, regarde vers loccident, soit sur cette rive africaine qui, de 1Egypte la
Mauritanie, est tourne vers la frange mridionnale de notre continent, soit enfin sur
cette frange mme o nous comptons notre plus proche parent.
A lorde des temps historiques voici les civilisations-mres : Egypte, Sumer, Ege.
Puis, aprs avoir descendu par Athknes, Rome, Byzance vers les premiers sicles de
notre chrdtient, voici toutes les floraisons de notre art mdival, renaissant et mo-
derne.
Au Louvre nous sommes donc chez nous, dans notre propre univers, les autres
portions des terres habites tant ailleurs: au Muse Guimet, muse des arts asia-
tiques, o nous trouvons lautre Asie, celle qui, en direction de lOcan Indien, des
mers de Chine, des terres de lintrieur, a des centres de gravitation qui nous sont
trangers, ou bien encore au Muse de lHomme o nous rencontrons les autres
continents : lAfrique noire, lOcanie, les Amriques.
Dans la rdpartition spatiale des cultures, le Louvre couvre seule notre aire familiale.
I1trouve ses compldments dans les autres muses nationaux. Au Muse dArt
Moderne, les arts contemporains le prolongent jusquau moment prsent, tandis qu
lautre bout du temps, Saint-Germain lui donne une prface, da prhistoire)), et un
chapitre indispensable : les antiquits nationales. Les autres muses lui annexent
chacun sa spcialit: Cluny les techniques du Moyen Age; Svres la dramique; les
Arts et Traditions populaires lethnographie franaise; les Monuments franais une
figuration de notre art monumental: sculptures et fresques; Versailles enfin une
iconographie de lhistoire de France. Quant aux palais de Compigne, de Fontaine-
bleau, de Versailles, ils ont pour mission de nous restituer des demeures histo-
riques.
A lintrieur du Louvre se poursuit le plan dinstallation entrepris ds 1932. Le
rez-de-chausse a kt achev Imdeder par linauguration du dpartement des anti-
quits orientales. Le premier tage nest encore que partiellement ralis, MM. Char-
bonneaux, Parrot, Verlet, Vandier, Huyghe, Bazin traitent dans cette revue des ques-
tions concernant leqrs dpartements.
A propos du plan damnagement, je signalerai que nous avons estim ncessaire
de rtablir, dans le somptueux coffret de la Galerie dApollon, une salle du Trsor,
compose des trdsors de Saint-Denis, de la Sainte-Chapelle, des chevaliers du Saint-
Esprit, ainsi que des emblmes du Sacre, des joyaux de la Couronne et de collections
provenant de lancien cabinet de rarets du Roi Versailles.
Les fresques ont t spares des tableaux peints lhuile et prsentes dans la
pdnombre opportune du vestibule Percier Fontaine et de lancienne salle Duchatel.
Les fentres du Salon Carr ayant t dbouches, les grandes compositions de
Vronkse seront exposes dans la salle des Etats.
Deux sections importantes ont t dtaches du circuit de la peinture franaise
laquelle nous avons affect tout le deuxitme tage de la Cour Carre.

a) 1Impressionnisme et les coles qui en sont tributaires sont exposs au J eu de
Paume, qui donne cette peinture de plein air le cadre dun jardin;
b) les grands morceaux du XIXe sicle, de David Courbet, prendront place
au premier tage dans les halls Daru et Mollien, et dans le pavillon Denon, dont les
colossales et le dcor somptueux conviennent aux dimensions et la
facture de cette peinture dpope.
Cest ainsi que le plan doit tre assoupli selon les exigences du btiment. Lhabi-
let du metteur en scne saura tirer parti de tous les accidents dun palais qui, aprs
avoir t une demeure royale, fut, au cours du dernier sicle, amnag en muse selon
des principes qui ont depuis lors bien volu. A nous de savoir tourner 21 notre avan-
tage ce qui heurte nos conceptions musographiques actuelles. On peut voir dans la
Grande Galerie comment nous avons abouti une prsentation plus claire et mieux
de la peinture, en achevant le dcor du XVIIIe sicle et en y intgrant les
collections au lieu de les en sparer. Cette mthode est suivie autant que possible
dans tout le palais.
La noblesse du cadre exalte le chef-duvre. Sadiversit, due au lent travail des
sicles, projette luvre dart sur un fond mouvant qui lanime et le dtache dans une
lumire, sinon toujours parfaite, du moins toujours vivante. Ainsi se trouve vite
la monotonie de la plupart des muses de construction rcente, qui, souvent russis
dans le dtail, sont presque toujours dune prsentation trop uniforme.
Au Louvre, la vie du btiment, une vie ample, majestueuse, multiple, circule
travers nos collections. Ce qui ne nous empche pas de donner celles-ci un quipe-
ment musographique moderne au moyen de cartes, photographies, notices, mon-
tages, ainsi que par un appareillage lectrique, ou de toute autre nature, opportun-
ment modernist.
Lingniosit de chaque conservateur sefforce par ailleurs de varier la disposi-
tion des collections, Ds quil en a la place, il forme une double srie - une srie dex-
position et une srie dtude; il groupe par endroits, autour dun thme, ce qui est
ailleurs dispos selon un classement chronologique, gographique ou technique;
enfin il mnage un expos didactique certains emplacement discrets qui ne comp-
tent pas dans le dcor.
Dans le cas dun muse log dans un palais, celui-ci doit donc tre mis dans toute
la mesure du possible, avec ses avantages et ses improprits, au service des collec-
tions. Nous avons Ice que nous pourrons appeler un ((muse-palais)). Cest le rsultat
inverse que nous chercherons dans ce que nous dnommerons un ((palais-muses.
Dans celui-ci, les collections sont au contraire dans la dpendance du btiment puis-
quelles sont destines y faire revivre une demeure historique. Tel est le cas par
exemple des chteaux de Versailles, de Fontainebleau, de Compigne. M. Vergnet-
Ruiz, dans larticle quil consacre Compigne, a dfini les rgles que nous devons
alors respecter pour donner au dcor sa valeur de tmoignage. La chambre de la
Reine Versailles, dont la tenture retisse Lyon sur des documents originaux sera
pose cette anne mme, prsentera une restitution de cette nature, cest--dire fixe
une date prcise sur la foi des inventaires.
Que ce soit dans un muse-palais ou un palais-muse, que ce soit au Louvre ou
Versailles, ds que nous aurons affaire un vieux btiment ayant un pass histo-
rique, nous consacrerons dautre part une ou plusieurs salles son histoire, raconte
Par des textes, des plans, des maquettes darchitecture, des gravures, des photogra-
phies OU autres documents divers.
voil sommairement indiques quelques-unes des lignes de dveloppement sur
lesquelles se trouve engage la vie des mudes nationaux. Celle-ci a repris avec
activit ds la libration, mais se trouve encore entrave par les difficults budgtaires
et la asette des matriaux. Nous esprons nanmoins, cette anne mme, pousser
au Louvre, du premier tage; Guimet, du deuxime tage; ouvrir
les Premires salles de Cluny, o sera prsent, selon une formule nouvelle, un Muse
des Techniques du Moyen Age; amnager Svres quelques sections du Muse de la
Gramique; dvelopper le Muse de la Fresque; donner une salle dexposition au
des Arts et Traditions populaires, enfin accrotre le Muse dArt Moderne.
Ce dernier muse, dont le principe date de la Restauration, doit comme le
phnix, Sans cesse renatre de ses cendres. Dans sa dernire incarnation, il stait
montr infidle sa mission puisque la plupart des grands matres contemporains
9
en taient absents ou y taient insuffisamment reprsentts. Une vigoureuse campagne
d'achats et l'ouverture d'une salle d'expositions lui ont de nouveau donnk des ailes.
Flicitons-en nos amis J ean Cassou et Bcrnard Dorival.
THE MUSEUMS OF FRANCE
by GEORGES SALLES
IO
he war emptied all the museums of France of their collections. When the armis-
T tice enabled us to resume, more or less, the normal way of life of a civilized
people, we had to think, not only of bringing our collections home again, but also
of taking advantage of their temporary exodus to go over, re-arrange and organize
them on a new basis and make an effort to put our housc in order.
Material conditions prompted this course, for we were in the position of a
person who, having retrieved his goods and chattels, settles down again after mov-
ing from one home to another.
We were, moreover, morally bound to do this on a large scale, since an edict
of I 3 J uly 1945, re-enacting the main provisions of the law of I O August 1941 had
transformed the direction des mzdes nationam into the directiola des "!es de France and
entrusted to it, besides the management of the museums of art belonging to the State,
the control of all museums of the same kind belonging to public or private bodies.
In his article on the provincial museums, M. Vergnet-Ruiz describes the details of this
new organization, which we owe to the initiative taken in 1941 by my predecessor,
J acques J aujard. I shall therefore, confine myself here to mention how we proposed
to employ the legal instrument which was put in our hands.
As has often been said, the merits and shortcomings of French administration
and, one might add, of the very life of our country, result from a system of centrali-
zation. This, when misunderstood, tends to congest the capital, but when wisely
applied, enables the available resources to be distributcd froin the centre throughout
the body of the nation.
It is in the light of this that we must interpret the spirit of our law, which in
no way changes the legal status of the collections under State control: they remain
the exclusive heritage of the communities to which they belong, but the State is asso-
ciated in their preservation, upkeep, and scientific and aesthetic exploitation.
Readers of MUSEUM will not need to be told that our professional work calls
, for as precise and painstaking disciplines as any other scientific career. A technique
of museography has been created, or rather is growing up, to answer the endless
questions raised by the museum, which, as an institution, is to-day in full growth.
, Like books and the radio, the museum is on the way to becoming one of the principal
media of knowledge: it must, therefore, adapt itself to all subjects and all publics,
be at the same time a means of study and a stimulating entertainment, a storehouse
and an organ of widespread diffusion. I n short, it must assemble, under one roof and
for the use of all, what is sought elsewhere in the school, the theatre, the laboratory
and the study. Like changing fashions of mind and eye, material progress, particu-
larly in connexion with lighting and the use of new materials, demands that, in the
practice of our profession, we should keep constantly abreast of new developments.
However, in the French provinces, museums had remained, with rare exceptions,
as they were arranged by our great-grandparents three-quarters of a century or more
ago. Their equipment, arrangement and preservation were all in need of overhauling.
Museums of a type previously unknown had to be created beside the old ones, and this
work had to be entrusted to specially trained personnel: that is the aim of our reform
The inspectorate-general of provincial museums, in direct liaison with the authorities
of the national museums on the one hand and numerous provincial centres on the
other, is taking an inveptory of the collections, drawing up programmes and assisting
in their realization by missions, grants-in-aid and loans. I wish hcre to pay tribute
to M. Ga-H.Rivire for the great part he has taken in the working out of these pro-
grammes. The Ecole du Lowre having been reorganized as a professional school, is
providing the team which is spreading throughout the provinces the methods
taught and practised in Paris. Our administrative centralization is, therefore, no
more than a means of technical decentralization. What I wish to make clear here
is that a machinery has been set up which, by permitting improved museo-
graphical methods to be spread throughout the whole country, henceforward
corrtiflutdpagt 92
L O U V R E
LE REMANI EMENT DU DPARTEMENT DES PEI NTURES
ET LA GRANDE GALERI E
hs la fin de la guerre, le dpartement des peintures du Muse du Louvre a repris
D l*extcution du plan densemble qui doit assurer sa totale rorganisation. Les
&fficultts prsentes, difficults financires et difficults techniques, en rendent la rali-
sation progressive parfois plus lente que ne le souhaiterait limpatience de nos dsirs;
ann~e par anne, des groupes de salles souvrent au public qui ne pourra prendre
que plus tard de la conception globale oh elles sinscrivent. La ncessit de
ne point ajouter encore la privation des trop longues annes de guerre nous contraint
a lui offrir des expositions provisoires des chefs-daeuvre de nos collections qui, peu
peu, &dent 1%place des ralisations plus fragmentaires mais dj dfinitives. I1con-
vient donc de tracer tout dabord grandes lignes le projet gntral dont elles nassu-
ment encore quune excution limite.
Le remaniement commenc doit aboutir un regroupement des collections dont
le visiteur pourra tudier le dveloppement cole par cole et sicle par sicle. Deux
itinraires, deux visites soffriront lui: lune lui permettra de suivre le cours de
1Ecole franaise, lautre celui des Ecoles trangres. LEcole franaise prendra son
origine dans le pavillon de lHorloge, au deuxihme tage de la Cour Carre, et, sur les
quatre cts de cette cour, poursuivra son destin depuis les primitifs jusquaux ra-
listes du XIX sicle. J xs travaux projets assurent un bouleversement assez radical
de larchitecture actuelle o se prsentait en particulier le vktuste MusCede laMarine,
pour que des pices tour tour vastes et rduites offrent un volume divers, adapt
A la dimension des peintures. Seul, le dernier ct de la Cour Carre, consacr au
XIX sicle ne comporte pas de salles monumentales; on y trouvera seulement les
tableaux de chevalet. La grande peinture a jet au XIX sicle en France, un clat trop
exceptionnel pour quon nen dgaget pas limportance. Ayant achev le circuit
de la Cour Carre, le visiteur descendra donc ltage infrieur pour y assister au
dploiement des toiles nionumentales qui, de David Courbet, manifestent de quel
souffle et de quelle ampleur notre cole a t capable. Ides anciennes salles du XVII
et du XVIII sicles fransais, parallles la Grande Galerie et dont la rouverture
aura lieu dans quclques mois, ont fourni le volume ncessaire de telles pages pictu-
des. Enfin, au del de Courbet, souvre une re nouvelle qui, par lImpressionnisme,
mhe A la peinture moderne. On a pens que lcole impressionniste, son retour
direct la nature et la lumire, requkraient une presentation particulire, autonome.
Cest donc dans le cadre de jardins et de plein air dont elle sinspire quelle est pr-
sente dans les btiments du J eu de Paume, au milieu de la verdure des Tuileries. Le
Muse de lImpressionnisme, par quoi lcole franaise du Muse du Louvre sachve
et setend vers son prolongement contemporain, au Muse dArt Moderne, a t
Prsent au public lanne dernire; M. Germain Bazin, qui a travaill avec tant de
bonheur sa ralisation, dira plus loin selon quelles conceptions et quelles mthodes
nous lavons organis.
Mais les Ecolcs trangres? Elles prennent leur depart au dbouch du grand
escalier de la L7icfoire de SIzwotbrace, et, tout au long de la Seinc, exposent IC dve-
loppement des kcoles italiennes et espagnoles dans la Grande Galerie du Bord de lEau;
Puis dans ses prolongements, se trouveront les Ikoles septentrionales, flamande,
et hollandaise, qui sachveront dans le Pavillon de Flore que le Ministre
des Financa a lheureuse rsolution de restituer son propritaire lgal, le Muse
du Louvre.
Ainsi, deux itinraires se poursuivront dans le mme sens, en partie paralltle-
et permettront dtudier, selon un programme chronologique et continu, dune
part 1Ecole fransaise, dc lautre les Ecoles ktranghes. En haut dc lcscalier Mollien,
une suite de pices, nagure dvolue aux primitifs franais vient sintercaler cntrc I C
terme des grandes sallcs franqaises et IC milicu de la Grande (Merie, perpendiculaire-
ment aux unes et lautre. o n a pend quil convenait dy situer 1Ecole anglaise,
par RENI ? HUY GHE
I I
L u rentre des tr.0r.r nu Muse da Louvre
The return of the Louvre's treusures
I2
. .
v w deSumotbrai
du grand esder.
The Winged Vidoy o j
j t s old position at the
c
:e retrouve sa place au sommet
'Samothrace being restored to
head of the great staircase.
Emballage d'une sculpt
au Louvre. (Detail)
Statue being returned
--.
urc de grande taille de retour
to Louvre; packing detail.
Rctour d'un tableau dc oucher: Diane at4 bah/.
'Ihe return of Boucher's farnous Diana i/r the Bath.
4
Mise cn placede 1'AdoratiutJ de$ Nages, de Signorelli.
Being rehung Signorelli's Adoroiiorr o j the Map'.
Grpndc Galerie du Louvre mcsure actuellement
r91 m&e~ de longueur. Construite par Androuet-
- - u et Pierre Metezeau sous le rkgne
dsHd IV, elle mesurait primitivement plus de
4m mktres. Sous IC premier Empire, Percier et
FontPine commenckrent la ralisation dun projet
de d&oration mi s au point par Hubert Robert.
Cat seulement la fin de 1947 que lon acheva la
asati on de ce projet. La Gfande Galeric cst dsor-
mais consacre lapcinture italienne et espagnole,
fie Grande Galerie in the Louvre is now 295 m.
long. Built by Androuet-Ducerceau and Pierre
Metueau in Henri IVs reign, it was originally more
400 m. in length. Under the First Enipirc,
Percier and Fontaine began work on a scheme for
it8 decoration prepared by Hubcrt Robert. The
arryi ng out of this scheme was not completcd until
the end of 1947. The Grande Galerie is henceforth
to bc devoted to Italian and to Spanish painting
c
Retour des tableaux au dipartemctlt de la peinturc.
Les toiles taient fixes lintkrieur de cadres
&tanches et isolcs les unes dcs autres,
+.lrn of the pictures to the Department of Paint-
fn@ at the Louvrc. The canvases had been fastened
Beparate compartments inside tightfitting frames.
Les toiles les plus prcicuscs, crnballies s6parCmcnt,
Ctaient habillcs de cinq rcv6tcmcnts succcssifs, dont
dcux damiantc (LaJorotde, p;ir I kmilrd de \inci).
The most valuablc canvases - such as Leonardo da
Vincis hfotmlisa - wcrc packed separately, with five
layers of wrappings, two of which were of asbestos.
16
qui, par linfluence quelle a repe comme par celles quelle a exerces, se relie aussi
bien notre Ecole qu dautres, surtout septentrionales, Plus tard, cest l aussi que
viendra sinstaller la collection que M. de Beistegui destine notre Muse et qui est
une splendide slection de chefs-dceuvre de toutes les origines.
Cette seconde partie du projet a rep, et va recevoir encore cette anne mme,
une excution dj ample. Cequi en est prsent, cest la Grande Galerie sur laquelle
nous allons nous tendre un peu plus longuement.
Plus quaucune autre partie du Louvre, la Grande Galerie du Bord de lEau
posait le problme essentiel de notre Muse, qui est dtre en mme temps un palais.
Servitude, mais quelle servitude! I1en est delle comme de ces contraintes qui per-
mettent, par leffort quelles exigent, de dboucher vers des solutions plus neuves ou
plus hardies. La condition, noble sil en fut, de palais qui est celle de notre Muse
exclut toute application systmatique dune doctrine toute faite. Elle aide dbager
cette loi fondamentale de la musographie quil ny a pas de muse-type, de muse
idtal dont les rgles pourraient trouver partout et automatiquement leur usage,
comme on monte une maison prfabrique, Le muse touche la matire la plus
leve et la plus subtile: les uvres par quoi les hommes ont essay dexprimer le
meilleur deux-mmes, leur propre dpassement, les uvres o ils ont tent dinscrire
ce que en eux ils jugeaient digne de durer, ce que dans le monde ils croyaient pouvoir
retenir, transformer, mener la perfection, Pour les prsenter, il faut un grand res-
pect; il nest pas question de leur appliquer des principes ou des recettes conues
thoriquement, premptoirement. Cest pourtant la tentation laquelle on risque de
succomber lorsquon btit un musCede toutes pices, ainsi quune machine perfec-
tionne exposer les chefs-duvre. Cette tentation, un palais la rprouve: il a un
pass, une personnalit, une me - comme les tableaux ou les sculptures quil aura
mission daccueillir. I1place demble le conservateur sur un plan o le dogmatisme
est intimid, o il se sent avant tout le serviteur de ralits morales qui simposent
lui et quil devra aider (cest sa seule mission) simposer aux spectateurs. Le muse
nest pas un cadre tout fait dans lequel on fera rentrer des uvres, comme des soldats
matricules dans une unit; ce cadre doit tre une manation de luvre, son prolonge-
ment naturel. La rdalisation simultane du Muse de lImpressionnisme et de la Grande
Galerie nous la bien fait sentir: dans le premier, des tableaux de plein air, pikges
capter la lumire et les mouvantes apparences de la nature, devaient rester en com-
munion avec cette nature, avec le ciel, avec la verdure, avec les reflets des bassins par
de vastes baies ouvertes sur un jardin, et larchitecture devait seffacer, ntre plus
que clart et fond neutre, pour ne pas troubler ce dialogue du peintre et de lair. Dans
la seconde, destinte 1Ecole italienne, les fruits dune vieille civilisation classique
nourrie de son hritage antique et de son hritage religieux, devaient retrouver
lisolement, la noblesse, la pompe que rclament les conceptions dun ge idaliste
et princier. Autant lImpressionnisme, rompant avec cette tradition, exigeait les va-
cances dune maison des champs, autant les Ecoles italienne et espagnole retrouvaient
leur patrie sensible dans un palais fidle son dcor.
Or si la Grande Galerie, destine par Catherine de Mdicis unir son palais
de ville, le Louvre, son palais des champs, les Tuileries, navait t pendant des
sicles quun trs long couloir, difficile ordonner et orner, et dun emploi malais,
toute lHistoire y avait pass et y avait dpos sa trace: les souverains de la France,
depuis les rois, Valois ou Bourbons, depuis Henri I V et Louis XIV, jusquaux
Empereurs, jusqu Napolon I er et Napolon III, y avaient port leurs pas oisifs ou
solennels. Ici Louis XII1 enfant avait jou, voire couru ((un renart avec les chiens du
Rois, ici Louis XI V avait touch les crouelles, Napolon men Marie-Louise tra-
vers la pompe de ses noces, Louis-Philippe, fidkle son sikcle scientifique, essay un
modle rduit de locomotive, 1ImpCratrice Eugnie, enfin, fuit pas rapides la rvo-
lution qui venait battre les murs du palais. . . Ces fantmes Ccarts, que restait-il en
dfinitive ? Une galerie encore immense, quoique rduite de plus de moiti par Lefuel,
mais immense par sa monotonie: murs couverts de rouge pompien jusquauvitrage
mtallique qui voquait, quoiquon en et, un interminable hall de gare, cimaise rose
de Percier et, plus loin, noire de Lefuel, filant perte de vue. Toutefois le palais y
Cbauchait son architecture; reprenant un projet conu pour la Galerie ds 1776 par
Hubert Robert, membre de la Conservation du MusCum, afin de da diviser sans
Bter la Vue de la prolongation de ce local)), les architectes Percier et Fontaine lavaient
tronsomte en traves, marques par des arcs doubleaux reposant sur des couples de
colomes en
sur la muraille. L sarrtait leur travail. I1restait loin de lachtve-
ment prkvu par Hubert Robert et dont tmoignent plusieurs toiles. Tel tait le local
quil damnager dfinitivement.
on a coutume de poser IC dilemme suivant: ((Faut-il sacrifier le palais au muse
ou le muse au palais?)). Et si lon essayait daccomplir le muse en parachevant le
? TeHe fut la solution adopte. Ltendue des murs et leur monotonie semblaient
r6fractdres a la diversit dune galerie de tableaux, et lon ne pouvait cependant songer
couper cette perspective consacre afin dy amnager des salles mieux proportion-
rites, La vue des tableaux o se jouait limagination dHubert Robert suggra, ds
1937, quil serait possible damliorer la perspective architecturale par les mmes
moyens, qui, en crant des repos dans son tendue, isoleraient suffisamment les
panneaux. Tout dabord les murs, trop levs, ntaient supportables qua lpoque
lon entassait les tableaux cadre cadre jusquau plafond; or Hubert Robert
nous montrait quen prolongeant tout au long de la muraille lentablement support
par les colonnes en avance ralises par Percier et Fontaine, on pouvait complter
larchitecture en rduisant la superficie verticale des parois. Mais dun couple de
colonnes au suivant, une trentaine de mtres de cimaise couraient encore sans rmis-
sion. Hubert Robert nouveau indiquait quil suffisait de sectionner de dix mtres
en dix mtres environ cette morne tendue par des pilastres encadrant des niches, o
sabriteraient des antiques, pour soutenir dabord cette corniche et la justifier loeil,
pour ensuite obtenir des panneaux dune dimension trts raisonnable. Le parti que
lon pouvait tirer de ce dispositif sautait aux yeux: ces pilastres verticaux, quil suffirait
de copier respectueusement sur ceux que Percier et Fontaine avaient appliqus au
mur derritre leurs colonnes, couperaient le mur; le bloc de marbre quils encadreraient
viendrait rompre de sa masse claire le fond ou saccrochent les peintures, tandis que
des statues antiques places dans les niches creraient pour le regard et la pense un
repos, une distraction qui rnoveraient lattention. Oublions la longuc opposition
que rencontra auprs des techniciens ce projet qui avait, dans le pass, le soutien de
tels rpondants, et, dans le prsent, lappui pourtant si efficient de M. Georges Huis-
man, directeur gnral des Beaux-Arts, et de M. J acques J aujard, directeur des Muses
nationaux; modifi, remani, il devenait un compromis. I1fallut pour quil triompht
quaprs la guerre le nouveau directeur des Muses, M. Georges Salles, le reprt
son compte avec autant de got que dnergie, et que le nouvel architecte, M. Haff-
ner, le ralist avec une extreme sret dinterprtation laquelle on ne saurait trop
tt
rendre hommage. Suite fiale 92
CHANGES I N THE DEPARTMENT OF PAI NTI NGS
AND THE GRANDE GALERI E
s soon as the war was over, the Department of Paintings at the Mude du Louvre
A returned to its plan for the thorough reorganization of the museum. Owing
to present-day difficulties, financial and technical, the implementation of the plan
can be achieved only gradually, sometimes more slowly than we would wish. Every
year further groups of rooms are opened to visitors, but only latcr will they be able
to grasp the whole scheme of which these rooms form a part. The need to call a halt
to the privation imposed by the long years of war, has led us to arrange for the
Public temporary exhibitions of the treasures in our collections, which are gradually
giving place, here and there, to more permanent displays. We must, therefore, begin
by describing the broad lines of the general scheme which our present exhibitions
SO far fulfil only in part.
The purpose of the alterations begun is to rearrange the collections so that the
may study developments in each individual school and each century. He will
be able to make two different tours: onc following the dcvelopmcnt of French
painting, the other that of foreigli painting. The exhibition of French painting will
Start in the Pavillolz de /Horloge on the second floor of the Cour Carde and will
conti~ue around the four sides of the courtyard, showing its development from the
to the Realist painters of the nineteenth century. The work we propose will
by REN HUY GI I E
Un volumc aussi admirablcment documcntt. que
magnifiquement illustr a t consacr par Madamc
Aulanier A ((La Grandc Galcric du Bord dc 1Rau~
(Edition dcs Muses nationaux, Paris, 1947). On
y trouvera, narre dune plume alerte et savante,
lhistoire de cette partic du IC.
=7
considerably alter the present layout of the building, in which the out-dated Mme de
la Marine was formerly housed, so that there will be a succcssion of rooms, some
large and some small, suited to the size of the pictures to be displayed. Onlythe
fourth side of the Cow Carre, which will be devoted to nineteenth century easel
paintings, contains no very largc rooms. I n France, in the nineteenth century, the
painting of vast canvases was such a striking feature that special importance had to
be given to their exhibition. After completing the tour of the Cow Carre, the visitor
will therefore go down to the floor below to see the display of the huge pictures
which, from David to Courbet, show the energy and breadth of style of which our
painting was capable. The former French seventeenth and eighteenth century
Rooms, running parallel to the Grande Galerie, which will be reopened this year,
provided sufficient space for the display of such pictorial expanses. Finally, a new
era opens after Courbet, leading through the Impressionists to modcrn painting.
We considcrcd that the Impressionist School, returning as it does to nature and light,
should be displayed in a special, independent setting. It is therefore shown in ah
environment of gardens and open air - the sources of its inspiration - in the Je.
de Patlme, set among the verdure of the Tuileries Gardens. The Mwe de llmpres-
sionisme showing the latest phase of French painting included in the Louvres collec-
tion and heralding contemporary art, which is displayed at the Mue dArt Moderne,
was opened to the public last year, and M. Germain Bazin, who arranged it so suc-
cessfully, will describe in another article the ideas and methods on which we based
its organization.
What about the exhibition of foreign schools of painting? This will begin at the
top of the great staircase of the Winged Victory of Sanrothrace, and will continue
along the Seine side of the building, showing the development of the Italian and
Spanish schools in the Grande Galerie da Bord de IEatc. I n the following rooms
the northern schools, Flemish, Gcrman and Dutch, lead to the Pavillon de Flore,
which the Ministry of Finance fortunately intends to return to the Louvre, its right-
ful owner.
There will thus be two possible tours running in the same direction and, in
part, parallel to one another, permitting the French School and foreign schools re-
spectively, to be seen in all stages of their chronological development. At the top of
the Mollien staircase is a series of rooms, which used to be devoted to French Primi-
tives, between the last of the big French Rooms and the middle of the Grande Galerie
and at right angles to both. We thought this would be a suitable place to show
English painting, which is connected with our own school and with others, par-
ticularly the northern schools, by the influences to which it has been subject and the
influence it has exercised. At a later date, the collection which M. de Beistcgui intends
to present to the museum, a wonderful selection of masterpieces from every source,
will also be shown there.
This latter part of the plan has already been carried out to some extent and will
be continued this year. The Grande Galerie, which we shall describe below in rather
greater detail, is already open.
.
I n the Grande Galerie dtr Bord de IEatl, the fundamental problem confronting
our museum - to preserve the character of a palace - is more apparent than anywhere
else in the Louvre. Certainly, it imposes restrictions; but of the kind which, by the
very effort they demand, help us to find bolder and more original solutions. The palatial
character of our museum, noble as it is, makes it impossible to apply systematically
any recognized theory. It is an illustration of the fundamental law of museography -
that there is no model museum, no ideal museum providing rilles which can be auto-
matically applied everywhere in the same way as a pre-fabricated house can be put
up. A museum is concerned with the finest and most delicate material: works in
which men have tried to express what was best in themselves or transcended their
limitations, works in which they have tried to enshrine that part of themselves
which they thought deserved to survive and all that they felt able to capture,
transform or perfect. We must display these works reverently; there can be no
question of applying to them theoretical and arbitrary principles or prescriptions.
That is, however, the temptation which besets us in dealing with a new museum
- an instrument specially designed for the display of masterpieces. A palace, however,
continziedpa,ye 94
Salle des Caryatides, dont IC dcor Rcnaissancc se
prte aux jeus savants dc la sculpturc hcllcnistiquc.
The Hall of Cnryntides: a RcIlaissilncc sctring in
keepingwith the refincments of I-Icllenistic sculpture.
LA RI ~I NSTALLATI ON DES COLLECTI ONS D ANTI QUI TS
GRECQUES
ET ROMAI NES
ans un pays comme la France, o les styles se succdent un rythme rapide, et, Sem-
Dbl e-t-i l , de plus en plus acclr, o chaque gnration reconsidre les problmes
artistiques et sefforce de transformer le dcor de la vie, il est naturel que les Oeuvres
dart qui habitent les muses aient une existence assez mouvemente. Mais les varia-
tions du got ne sont pas seules intervenir dans le changement des mthodes dex-
position. Outre les acquisitions importantes qui viennent bousculer lordre tabli,
le progres continu de larchologie et de lhistoire de lart provoque constamment
des revisions plus ou moins considrables. Au dpartement des antiquits grecques
et romaines du Louvre, la rorganisation qui se poursuit depuis une quinzaine
dannes a pour objectifs essentiels de reclasser chronologiquement les collections tt
dallkger la masse des Oeuvres prsentes au public en choisissant les meilleures et
les plus caractristiques.
11Y a des problmes gnraux qui se posent dans tous les muses et que lon peut
rhudre par lapplication de certains principes prouvs. Mais chaque muse a ses
Problmes particuliers qui Sont lis au plan et au caractre du btiment, A limportance
et la nature des collections et aussi Sans doutc aux habitudes et au goiit du public.
I arrive quil soit impossilJ e dappliqL1er des principes dont on admet le bien-fond :
la QsPosition des salles, leur clairage et leur dcor imposent des solutions diffrentes
de que lon aurait voulu adopter. En revanche, il est certain quc la noblesse et
par J E A N c H * R B 0 N N E * u
I
I 9
20
La I im~ de Af i l o, A Iaboutisscmcnt dune longut:
pcrspcctive, binificic de la disposition architcctunilz.
The I. . etiu~uf h.li/o, standing at the encl ofa lorig vista,
is shown to advantage in this architectural setting.
la
des formes architecturales cntretiennent au Louvre une atmosphre vivante,
riche
respirer, et permettent des cffets qui ne peuvent &re ralis6s - du moins de
facon aussi naturelle - dans les muses modernes, conus pour lexposition ration-
nelle des uvres dart.
Quand on est aux prises avec des donnes concrtes, les problmes gnraux et
les problmes particuliers se trouvent constamment mls. Nous les aborderons dans
perdre oh ils se prsentent logiquement au cours dune rinstallation comme celle
laquelle nous travaillons encore, aprs linterruption des annes de guerre. Nous
dabord les questions concernant les sculptures exposCes au rez-de-
chausse du Musde, puis celles qui ont trait la cramique et aux terres cuites dont
la prsentation nouvelle vient dtre acheve, au premier tage, dans la Galerie
Campanal. Nous finirons par les questions communes aux diffrentes sries : restaura-
tions, renseignements destins au public, disposition des rserves et projet de muse
secondaire.
Peut-tre nest-il pas inutile de justifier dabord la division de nos collections en
trois grandes sries : marbres; cramique et terres cuites ; bronzes, bijoux et orfvrerie.
En effet, dans les grands muses des gtats-Unis on a prfr une distribution plus
souple des collections, permettant de grouper dans une mme salle les objets appar-
tenant une mme priode - vases peints, statuettes de bronze et de terre cuite,
grande sculpture. A la vrit, New York et Boston, de grandes salles sont unique-
ment peuples dc marbres. Et lon voit bien les raisons qui expliquent lisolement de
lasculpture lapidaire. Cest dabord quc celle-ci tient beaucoup plus de place que les
objets des arts mineurs. Dautre part, elle se prte dcorer dc vastes galerics ou de
larges surfaces niuralcs; enfin il est souvent difficile de faire alterner harmonieuse-
ment vitrines et statues. Au Muse du Louvre, limportance des collections de
marbres antiques et le caractre de larchitecture nous ont conduits maintenir le
principe de lisolement de la grande sculpture, Quant aux deux autres sries, la tra-
dition des muses dEurope est de les exposer sparment - ce qui sexplique par des
raisons dtude mthodique peut-tre un peu troites. Si nous conservons la spara-
tion traditionnelle, cest surtout cause de la disposition de nos salles; la Galerie
Campana, avec ses monumentales vitrines murales, a t conue pour linstallation
des collections de cramique et lon ne pourrait cnvisager la fusion de nos deux
sries darts mineurs Sans une transformation complte du mobilier, impossible
actuellement, Mais nous savons que les classements et les prsentations nc sont pas
immuablcs; et nos successeurs auront sans doute loccasion dassoupIir ou mme de
transformer les installations actuelles.
Avant les travaux entrepris en 1934 et conduits par Al . tienne Michon, seuls,
parmi les marbres antiqucs, les portraits romains Ctaient classs dans lordre chrono-
logique. Une salle avait & rserve aux sculptures trouves en Grce propre, deux
salles celles qui provenaient dAsie mineure, La plupart des sculptures exposes
dans ces trois salles taient des originaux grecs de toutes les ;poques. T,es sarcophages
romains mcublaient, comme aujourdhui encore, lcs deux galcrics qui s'ouvrent
droite et gauchc de lentre principale du muse. Enfin la V m r de Milo et la
Vh0b-e de Sarnothce bnficiaient dune prsentation isolCe quelles ont lune et
lautre conserve, avec quelques modifications de dtailz. Dans les autres salles, les
statues et les reliefs, provenant pour la plupart dItalie, taient disposs dcorative-
ment: on avait estime quil ny avait pas lieu de classer mthodiquement ces euvres
trs rcstaures et qui ne sont que des rpliques romaines doriginaux grecs.
Le premier travail consistait Climiner les sculptures midiocres ou trop restau-
res~ Oudun intrCt trop strictement archologiquea. Il fallait ensuite reclasser len-
semble des sculptures destines tre exposies, de faon les grouper par priodcs,
les dbuts de larchasme jusqu lpoque romaine. Naturellement nous de-
vions comprendre, dans cc rcclassement gnral, les rpliques romaines dont on
Onnat limportance pour lhistoire de la sculpture grecque, oh elles remplacent si
Ouvent les originaux disparus. Dans ces conditions, il ne pouvait tre question de
SpeToser au classement chronologique un classement gographiquc : le nombre des
Originaux de provenance connue nest pas sufisant pour permettre de former des
groupements spars. Exceptons cependant les st?les funraires attiques, qui ont t
Pour la plupart dans la premirc des deux sallcs consacrcs aux reliefs
grecs funraires et votifs.
La Diane de VerJail/eJ dans la Salle des Caqatides.
Thc Diana o/ Versailles in the Hall of Caryatides.
. -.
1 Lcs collections de bronzcs, bijoux et orfcvreric
antiques, doivent tre rtinstaLlCcs dans lancienne
Salk Lacaze, qui a ktrianinage crtte intcntion.
Les travaux ne mnt pas encore tcrmints.
2 La V h s de Milo, au fond de la mcme pers-
pective, a t avance dune salle. Sur la basc en
formc davant de galkre de la Victoire de JUPJO-
thrace, un tltrnent dc proue a ti remis en place;
la statuc elle-mme a kt exhausse sur un socle de
faon mieux se dgager de la base.
Les inscriptions grccqucs et latines ont t
classes dans une galerie pigraphiquc accessible aux
spcialistes ct aux Ctudtants.
21
22
Quant la prscntation des groupements cluvrcs appartenant une pfriodc
dtermine ou mitme, dans le cas dc Praxitle, un seul artiste, elle a d sadapter au
cadre architectural. Dans la plupart des salles du rez-de-chausse, rserves la sculp-
ture grecque, les murs sont revtus dun beau marbre rouge violac. I1arrive que
des visiteurs dun got svre considrent cette parure murale comme incompatible
avec la sculpture grecque. Nous savons pourtant que les Grecs aimaient les couleurs
vives et, sils ont rarement utilis les marbres de couleur, il y a cependant lexemple
de lafrise de 1rechtheion dont les figures de marbre blanc taient fixes sur un fond
de calcaire bleu fonc. Les Komains ont fait en tout cas un large usage de ces riches
matires et il ne semble pas que nos marbres antiques - qui fh-ent faits pour dcorer
dcs difices romains - saccommodent mal de ce dcor discrtement somptueux. La
plupart des originaux grecs ont pu dailleurs tre prsentCs sur L m fond plus sobre;
les murs de la salle archaque, qui ntaient pas revtus de marbre, ont t recouverts
dun enduit imitant le calcaire chaudement patin des pays mditerranens; dans la
salle suivante, dont les proportions conviennent la sculpture monumentale, la
plaque de frise du Parthnon se dtache sur un fond de picrre polie, tandis que les
deux mtopes dOlympie sont fortement dgags du fond de marbre color.
Observons ici comme la belle ordonnance de larchitecture a permis de mettre en
valeur, aux deux extrmits de la srie de salles donnant sur le jardin de lInfante,
dune part la plaque de frise du Parthnon et, dautre part, un groupe de trois statues
praxitliennes : lApollon Sauroctone, la Vnus dArlcs et la Diane de Gabies. De
mme, la salle des Caryatides, avec son dcor Renaissance, se prte admirablement
aux jeux savants et raffins de la sculpture hellCnistiyue; et la Cour du Sphinx, cou-
verte dun immense vitrage, a offert son vaste espace et ses amples surfaces murales
nos ensembles de sculpture monumentale: frise de Magnsie du Mandre, reliefs
dAmos, aux fragments darchitecture du Didymeion de Milet et lagrande mosa-
que des Saisons, dcouverte dans les fouilles dAntioche et installke pendant les
annes de guerre. Enfin, il est certain que la Vnus de Milo, laboutissement dune
longue perspective, et la Victoire de Samothrace au milieu de lescalier Daru, doivent
une part considCrable de leur ckbrit lextraordinaire effet de la prsentation ar-
chitecturale dont elles jouissent.
Malgr la rduction considCrable du nombre doeuvres exposes, la ncessit de
laisser un espace suffisant pour la circulation du public napas permis de dgager du
mur, comme il serait souhaitable, toutes les statues, de laisser autour de chacune delles
tout le jeu dsirable pour quelle soit visible sous tous ses aspects. Les plus belles ont
t montes sur un socle tournant - pratique quil serait dsirable dtendre au plus
grand nombre, et dont lutilit est particulirement vidente dans des salles dotes
dun clairage latral. Le socle tournant permet en effet de remdier aux inconv-
nients de cet clairage qui est par ailleurs plus vivant et plus riche en contrastes que
lclairage znithal. Lorsquil sest agi de choisir un mode dclairage artificiel, nous
avons prfrk lclairage indirect, qui baigne les sculptures dune lumire trop gale
et prive les reliefs dune part de leur vigueur, un clairage direct orient comme celui
du jour puisque la disposition des statues avait t conue pour utiliser au maximum
la lumire distribue par les hautes fentres; mais on a pu en corriger les effets en
plaGant les foyers lumineux dans le cintre, la partie suprieure des fentres : la lu-
mire, tombant ainsi den haut sur les statues, combine au moins partiellement les
avantages de lclairage latral avec ceux de lclairage znithal.
Nous navons malheureusement pas eu pour la rinstallation de nos salles de
cramique au premier tagc, les disponibilits financires qui avaient facilit la nou-
velle prsentation des sculptures. Nous avons d nous contenter dutiliser le mobilier
ancien, cest--dire les grandes vitrines murales dailleurs fort belles qui datent du
Second Empire, et des vitrines centrales, de formes diverses, mais choisies de manire
obtenir dans chaque salle une satisfaisante unit de prsentation. Avec des moyens
limits, il a t possible de mettre execution le plan densemble, llaboration du-
quel a prsid M. Merlin, et danimer dune vie nouvelle notre imposante collection
de cramique et de terres cuites antiques.
La richesse des sries que possde le Louvre a permis de raliser ici un classement
la fois chronologique et gographique. Une premire salle est consacre aux styles
gomtriques dAttique, de Botie et des Iles et au style orientalisant de Rhodes. La
deuxi2me salle contient les productions archaques des ateliers de Corinthe, dIonie,
de Botie, les vases chalcidiens et laConienS. Dans les cinq salles suivantes rgne
presque exclusivement la cramique attique, dabord figures noires puis a figures
rouges, suite de chefs-duvre dont le dveloppement est accompagn par celui des
figurines de terre cuite de Botie, dAttique et dItalie mridionale. Les fabrications
Lc fragmcnt de frise du Parthnon prsent, devant
le fond le marbre colorCp sur une simp1e de
pierre en accord avec la gravit du stylc classiquc.
The fragment of the Parthenon Friczc, against hack-
of coloured marble and shown on a
-
du Ive sicle et de lkpoque hellnistique, oh brille lincomparable collection des
terres cuites de Myrina, sont expos&s dans les deux dernires salles. Le renouvelle-
ment de la prsentation consiste dabord dans lexposition conjuge des vases peints
et des terres cuites qui taient auparavant spars, puis dans le choix svre des
objets exposs dont le nombre a t ConsidCrablement rduit; dautre part un am-
nagement du systme de crmaillres dans les vitrines murales a permis de varier la
hauteur des dalles de verre qui portent les objets; il est possible ainsi dadapter la dis-
position des vases OU des figurines leur forme et leurs proportions, et, par cons-
quent, de diversifier et de rythmer les groupements. J,e fond des vitrines murales est
Peint dun ton vert assez clair, accordC au vert fonce ((Empire D de la partie haute des
mursy et qui sharmonise heureusement soit avec les diffrentes nuances de la terre
cuite, soit avec le vernis noir de la cramique attique. Dans les vitrines centrales ont
CtPlaces les pices les plus belles, OU bien celles qui proviennent dateliers diff-
rents de ceux auxquels sont rscrvCes les vitrines murales. De place en place, chaque
quil a paru ncessaire, des miroirs diversement inclins ont t disposs de
rflchir les parties du &cor que la position du vase dans la vitrine interdit
de voir directement.
bur les vases peints, comme pour les statues de marbre, se pose la question des
restaurations. Lidal serait de ne prsenter que des objets ou des fragments int-
gralement authentiques; or on sait que les vases, notamment ceux qui proviennent
de la Collection Campana, ont t, tout comme les marbres antiques des collections
Princires OU royales du XVIe au =r;IXe sicle, souvent outrageusement restaurs.
stoneslab in keeping with statclincss of classical style.
23
Suite page 96
En ce qui concerne les sculptures, il faut se souvenir que la plupart de nos
marbres antiques sont des rpliques romaines, cest--dire que leur intrt documen-
taire ou leur qualit dcorative lemportent souvent sur leur valeur artistique. Dans
ces conditions, et sans aller jusqu partager lindulgence admirative de Picasso pour
ces assemblages de pikes anatomiques diverses o se complaisaient les restaurateurs
des sitcles prcdents, nous navons pas cru devoir pousser jusquh lintransigeance
absolue lopration chirurgicale de suppression des restaurations. Les ttes trangres
aux corps qui les portaient en ont t pour la plupart dtaches; plusieurs statues
ainsi dcapitees ont re j u en change le moulage dune tte emprunte une rplique
plus complte du mme original (opration didactiquement utile mais esthtiquement
discutable et qui ne peut sappliquer qu des rpliques de qualit secondaire). I1 est
probable que nous serons amens liminer certaines restaurations jusqu prsent
conserves; mais cest un travail qui ne peut saccomplir que lentement et qui exige
beaucoup de soin et de prcautions.
REI NSTALLATI ON OF THE COL L ECTI ONS OF GREEK AND ROMAN
AN TI Q UI TI E s
by J EA N CHARBONNEAUX
MzJsI:.F. DU LOUVKL. Salle Clarac. Art prhellniquc.
Vitrine encastrc, claire.
LOUVRF. Clarac Gallery. Prrhellcnic Art. Case set
into wall and spccially lighted.
llie collections of antique bronzcs, jcwelleiy
and goldsmiths work are to be reinstalled in the
foriner Solh I q , refitted for the purpose. The
work is not yet corripleted.
24 cuntinucd pale 9 6
n a country like France, where style follows style at what appears to be an everin-
I creasing rate and where each generation re-examines artistic problems and endeav-
ours to transform its aesthetic life, it is natural that works of art contained in museums
should lead a rather active existence. Variations of taste, however, are not the
only factors which bring about alterations in methods of display. Besides important
acquisitions, which upset the established order of things, the steady advance of
archaeology and of the history of art constantly involves more or less considerable
revision. I n the department of Greek and Roman antiquities the essential aim of the
reorganization of the past fifteen years has been to rearrange the collections chrono-
logically and to lessen the bulk of works exhibited to the public by the selection of
what is best and most characteristic.
A number of general problems common to all museums can be solved by the
application of certain tried principles. But each museum has problems of its own,
connected with the plan and nature of the building, with the size and character of the
collections and also, no doubt, with the habits and taste of the public. Sometimes it
is not possible to apply what are admittedly sound principles. The arrangement of
rooms and their lighting and decoration necessitate different solutions from those one
would have preferred. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the nobility and
variety of its architectural forms secure for the Louvre a living and inspiringly rich
atmosphere, permitting effects which cannot be obtained, at any rate as naturally,
in modern museums designed for the methodical display of works of art.
Coming to grips with concrete problems, we find the general and the particular
constantly intermingled. We shall approach them in the logical order in which they
arise in the course of a reinstallation such as we are still working upon after the inter-
ruption of the war years. We shall first examine the questions concerning the sculp-
ture on the ground floor of the Museum, next, those relating to the pottery and terra-
cottas, the rearrangement of which in the Campana Galleryl, on the first floor, has
recently been completed. We shall conclude with questions common to the different
groups of exhibitions : restorations, information for the public, disposal of reseme
collections and the project of a secondary museum.
It may be a good thing first of all to justify the division of our collections into
three main groups : statuary; ceramics and terra-cottas; bronzes, jewellery and gold-
smiths work. The large museums of the United States have favoured a more flexible
distribution of exhibits, grouping in a single room objects belonging to the same
period : painted vases, bronze and terra-cotta statuettes and large pieces of sculpture. In
New York and Boston, however, large halls are exclusively occupied by marbles,
and it is easy to see the reasons for this separate display of monumental sculpture. To
begin with, these spccimcns take up much more space than products of the minor
arts; in the second place, they are suitable for the adornment of very big galleries or
large wall areas; lastly, it is often difficult to obtain a happy alternation of cases and
statues. I n the Louvre the size of the sculpture collections and the character of the
architecture have led us to uphold the principle of a separate display of monumental
sculpture. With regard to the other two groups, European museums traditionally

L E
DPA RT EMENT DES ANTI QUI TS ORI ENTAL ES
par AND RI^PARROT a deu&mC guerre mondiale nous avait trouvs en pleine rorganisation, car, en I 93 6,
il avait t dcid, en fonction dun programme de grands travaux, dattribuer
aux collections orientales du Louvre des emplacements nouveaux. Les menaces de
guerre avaient ralenti les oprations. En septembre 1938, peu avant la confrence de
Munich, une vacuation des objets mis en caisses avait mme commenc. J usquen
1939, la situation internationale ne samliorant pas, aucun progrs dans nos
installations ne fut enregistr. On stait content de poursuivre les amnagements
A louverture des hostilits, les collections furent pour lessentiel
mises en lieu sr dans divers chteaux provinciaux. Seuls restaient les reliefs assyriens
dont lnormit dfiait toute vacuation et quelques sries de moindre intrt. I1 fallut
attendre lautomne 1941 pour voir le retour des caisses. Bien que trs srieusement
freins par les difficults dapprovisionnement en matikres premires (mtaux non
ferreux, verres, en particulier), les travaux furent repris et pousss le plus activement
possible de faon nous permettre douvrir la presque totalit ks salles en juin 1947.
Le 27 juin, nos rinstallations furent inaugurtes par le Prtsident de la Rpublique, en
prsence de dtlgus trangers nombreux, entre autres, les reprsentants du Bri sh
Museum, de lInstitut archologique de Londres, de lOriental Instittlte de Chicago.
Leffort musographique que nous avons men bien, croyons-nous, at con-
sidrable. I1sagissait de rompre radicalement avec les conceptions dautrefois, nous
voulons dire celles dil y a quelque trente ans, o lon voulait t o ~ t montrer des collec-
tions. Mais en mme temps, il convenait de ne pas tomber dans lexcs contraire,
cest--dire ne plus rien prsenter du tout, . . par o nous entendons de nexposer
que les seuls chantillons de choix, les seules pices exceptionnelles. Un dpartement
archologique est un centre dart sans doute, mais il demeure aussi un tablissement
scientifique o la connaissance du pass doit tre enseigne avec probit, ce qui
nexclut nullement que cette connaissance ne soit facilite. Au contraire, et cest
ici que le got et le sens de la prsentation doivent intervenir. I1nous fallut oprer
dabord une slection svre parmi les monuments et documents (plus de quarante
mille) que nous avions notre disposition. Nous avons retenu les pices caractris-
tiques et typiques, excluant ce qui tait trop fragmentaire ou trop mutil. Ce choix
opr, nous avions attribuer chaque civilisation un secteur prcis et correspondant
topographiquement son importance et sa situation dans le temps et dans lespace.
Dans la rpartition topographique qui avait t fixe par la Direction des Muses
de France et les Services de lArchitecture, le dpartement des antiquits orientales
avait reu la moiti du rez-de-chausse de la Cour Carrde, de la crypte Sully (sous le
Pavillon de lHorloge) la crypte Saint-Germain lAuxerrois, en sous-sol du guichet
de cenom. En tout, vingt-quatre salles et trois cryptes, car aux deux prcdemment
nommes sajoutait la crypte Marengo (sous-sol du passage de ce nom).
Nous avons voulu regrouper et prsenter les monuments, gographiquement
dabord, chronologiquement ensuite. Laire correspondant au dpartement est gi-
gantesque: de lEspagne, louest (avec les Ibriques), aux plateaux iraniens lEst,
de la mer Noire au nord lArabie au sud. Des ensembles simposaient sans diffi-
cult: Msopotamie, Irzn, Phnicie, Chypre, qui commandaient un premier regrou-
pement. Malheureusement, des ((servi tudes topographiques )) ne pouvaient tre lu-
dees. si nous avions voulu respecter une chronologie rigoureuse, nous aurions d
les reliefs assyriens partir de la salle V, puisque les salles I I V devaient,
daprkS nos plans, tre consacres i la Msopotamie: Sumer, Accad et Babylone. Or,
les
de Khorsabad taient, depuis cent ans, installs dans les salles XXI XXIII,
lautre bout du dpartement. I1n&tait pas question de les dplacer. De mme,
vasque dAmathonte, lmse au milieu de la salle XI X, fixait Chypre en
5
2
8
8
I
cet endroit.
MM. Dussaud et Contenau, qui estimrent quon ne pouvait trouver meilleur cadre
et meilleur emplacement pour la riche collection de nos sarcophages phniciens. La
salle XIV, elle aussi en sous-sol, convenait tout aussi bien lexposition des reliefs
palmyrniens, en presque totalit funraires, et les marches de lescalier de descente
cette crypte et cette salle reurent dautres monuments funraires, aussi phniciens
(cippes, lions gardiens), cela afin de maintenir une certaine unit et la mme atmo-
sphre.
Restait la crypte Sully. Labondance des collections nous a contraints bloquer
dans ces trois travkes souterraines non seulement des sarcophages (palestiniens et
carthaginois) mais des sculptures syriennes, hauranaises, des stles aramennes, pu-
niques, himyarites, nabatennes. Ces tmoins de populations nombreuses, au premier
abord assez disparates, ont retrouv par cette runion, au mme emplacement,
lunit qui est la lcur puisquil sagit dune civilisation unique et dinspiration essen-
tiellement smitique.
Assez rapidement, sans grand ttonnement, tout avait donc trouv sa place. Ds
lors, lintkrieur de chacun des secteurs gographiques, il fallait oprer le classement
historique qui simposait. Des salles I IV, la Msopotamie sordonnait en grandes
priodes, correspondant la fois la chronologie et limportance politique et cul-
turelle des villes dynastiques. Nous fmes amens tout naturellement exposer salle I
les plus anciennes antiquits de Sumer et ddccad (des origines au milieu du IIIe mill-
naire); salle II, Sumer dans sa phase finale (milieu du IIIe millnaire), bien illustrie
au Louvre par nos collections de Tello; salle III, les deux villes dynastiques, Mari et
Larsa, taient rapproches; salle IV, Babylone simposait de toute vidence avec
Hammurabi, dont le Code constituait le ternie dune longue tape.
Lorsque les antiquits dune ville sont exposes dans une seule salle, (ce qui est
le cas pour Mari, Babylone, Ras Shamra), lintrieur de celle-ci un classement
chronologique a t apport. Ainsi dans la salle de Mari (IV) sont prksents dans
dcs vitrines diffrentes : lcs documents du temple dIshtar (dbut du IIIe millnaire),
du Palais (dbut du I I e millnaire), de la garnison assyrienne (milieu du I I c mill-
naire). Nous avons de m$me, dans la salle de Mari que nous prenons comme exemple,
expos la grande peinture de lInvestiture la hauteur oil elle avait t place dans
la cour 106 du Palais, le lion de bronze lemplacement exact quil occupait la
porte du temple de Dagan et le dpt de fondation du mme sanctuaire a it re-
constitu tel quil existait il y a quatrc mille ans. Seuls les galets ne sont pas dpoque., .
Classement et exposition rpondent donc des principes rigoureux et des
intentions soigneusement mdites. Les spcialistes sy retrouveront sans difficult,
mais nous avons pens que la visite devait tre facilitke la masse du public qui
ignore peu prks tout des questions orientales. Cette initiation devait tre aide mais
avec discrtion, sans aucune arrire-pensbe de ((dirigisme)). A lentre du dparte-
ment, une grande carte archkologique est accroche. Dun seul coup dceil, larrivant
considrera la zone gkographique quil va parcourir. Les sites reprsents par des
antiquits conserves au Louvre, sont fixks et suivis de numros ou de lettres qui
renvoient aux salles et cryptes dexposition. Un plan du dpartement facilite imm-
diatement, sil tait ncessaire, cette recherche.
A lentrie de chaque salle, numrote, une carte gographique fournit quelques
repres indispensables. Une courte notice historique apporte les donnes prcises
(dates, milieu, civilisation) qui permettent de recrer une atmosphre, celle que les
objets exposs illustrent et doivent faire revivre. Pour y contribuer, nous avons aussi
plac, ici et l, quelques agrandissements photographiques. I1nous a sembl quun
Occidental qui na aucun souvenir personnel dorient, peut et doit tre intresst:
quand, passant par exemple, ct dcs stles aramennes de Neirab, il peut voir le
village actuel avec ses maisons en forme de ruches o ces monuments ont t re-
cueillis. Nous avons pens que le nom de Babylone sera pour lui infiniment plus Cvo-
cateur sil saccompagne de quelques clichs des Palais du bord de lEuphrate. Com-
ment aussi, tant donn tout ce que les Muses doivent la recherche archologique
scientifiquement conduite, naurions-nous pas choisi quelques vues de grands chan-
tiers en activit : Tello, Mari, Ras Shamra, Byblos ?
Dans les vitrines, les objets sont peu nombreux. 11faut tout prix proscrire le
((bric--brac)). Nous avons retenu les pices de muse mais aussi les documents-types.
Tous sont accompagns de cartels simples, rkdigs avec concision. Un cartel ne rem-
*
hfrrsfa nu LOUVRE. Antiquits Orientales. Salk de
Mari. - DCpBt dc fondarion du rcniple de Dagan.
Lotrvm. Oricntal Anriquities. Mari Gallery.
Rlaterial from corncrstonc of tcniplc of Dagan.
26
27
MUSLI: DU LOUVRE. Antiquits Oricntalcs. Escalier
de dcsccnte A la crypte Marengo. Cramique de Suse.
LOUVRE. Oriental Antiquities. Stairway leading down
to Marengo Crypt. - Ceramics from Susa.
place pas un catalogue mais il doit permettre un visiteur de parcourir des sallcs en
sachant exactement ce quil voit. La rdaction de ces petites plaquettes cn rhodode
opaque, avec inclinaison diffrente selon les emplacements, porte rgulirement, et
dans cet ordre, les indications suivantes : dsignation de lobjet, matire, date, site,
provenance (acquisition, don, fouille), numro dinventairc. Et ceci aussi bien pour
les objets de vitrine que pour les grands monuments exposs sans protection. Par
exemple, une des statues de Guda sera dfinie ainsi: Statue de Guda (tau plan)),
diorite, fin du IIIe millnaire av. J .-C., Lagash (Tello), Fouilles de Sarzec, A 0 2.
On verra aussi que nous avons cherch donner partout une teinte uniforme,
claire. La vitrine doit disparaftre devant lobjet qui seul est mettre en valeur. Les
fonds ont t soit peints dans la mme teinte claire, soit tendus de rabane. Lutilisation
de soie de verre (dans le coffre aux bijoux) na pas t satisfaisante, cette matire
stant rvle cassante et rebelle au drap. Toute la prsentation des objets prcieux
du dpartement, actuellement salle V, sera reprise trs prochainement afin de modificr
et linclinaison des panneaux et la qualit des fonds. 1,emploi du plexiglas scra gk-
nralis, mais les socles de pierre ou de bois (le noir est proscrire) ne sont cependant
pas abandonner, surtout lorsque certaines pices demandent des rchaussements aux
tonalits chaudes. Mais tout doit tre sobre de lignes et les volumes doivent shar-
moniser avec les &mensions de lobjet. Autrement dit, aucun socle nest inter-
changeable, chacun deux doit correspondre exactement la pice pour laquelle on
le taillera spcialement.
Depuis juin 1947, le dpartement des antiquits orientales a r ep des visiteurs
sans nombre. Nous avons t heureux de laccueil qui fut rserv nos installations
et ce muse dexposition tel que nous lavons ralisC, avec une quipe dexcellents
collaborateurs. A ct de lui, et dans des galeries encore fermes, nous prvoyons
maintenant un muse de travail o le reste des collections, lui aussi regroup et class,
pourra tre accessible aux chercheurs, aux spcialistes et aux tudiants. Ainsi lanti-
quit rapparaftra tout entire, dans nos grandes salles avec ses chefs-dauvre, dans
nos ((magasins)) avec des sries plus modestes, avec des objets plus mutils, mais dont
ltude sera certainement tout aussi enrichissante. La rvlation de lme humaine
dans sa recherche cahote, dans ses chccs, mais aussi dans ses lans vers la lumire et
dans ses russites exceptionnelles, sera totale. Lhomme du XXe sicle pourra alors
comprendre que luvre des muses naura pas t vaine, qui lui aura rendu, aprs
lavoir conserv, cet hritage millnaire.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ORI ENTAL ANTI QUI TI ES
by ANDRB PARROT
28
he Second World War fell upon us as we were in the midst of reorganization, for
T it had been decided in 1936, as part of a large programme, to transfer the oriental
collections of the Louvre to new locations. The threat of war had delayed operations.
I n September 1938, shortly before the Munich Conference, a beginning had becn
made toward the evacuation of cases. But by August 1939, when the international
situation showed no improvement, no progress had been made in our plans for re-
arrangement. All that we had done was to continue with certain architectural changes.
On the outbreak of war the bulk of the collections were deposited for safe keeping
in various chuteuzlx in the provinces. The Assyrian reliefs, whose enormous size
made it impossible to remove them, and a few objects of lesser interest were left be-
hind. I t was autumn 1945 before the cases could return. We were gravely hampered
by shortages of raw materials (especially nonferrous metals and glass), but work
was resumed and pushed on as actively as possible in order that we might open
nearly all the rooms in J une 1947. On J une twenty-seventh our Department was
opened by the President of the Republic in the presence of a large number of foreign
delegates, including representativcs of the British Museum, the London Archaeo-
logical Institute and the Oriental Institute of Chicago,
The museographical task we had undertaken - we would like to think success-
fully - was a great one. It meant a complete break with earlier conceptions : thirty or
so years ago the aim had been to show everything. It was important, however, not to
go to the other extreme, that is, to show just a few selected and outstanding pieces.
An archaeological department is, of course, an art centre, but it remains also a scientific
institution, in which a knowledge of the past must be taught with strict integrity.
This does not mean that the way to that knowledge should not be made easier. On
the contrary, it is where taste and a feeling for presentation should play their part.
we had first to make a difficult choice from the more than 40,000 monuments and
documents at our disposal. We kept characteristic and typical specimens, excluding
anything that was too fragmentary, or too mutilated. This choice having been made,
we had next to assign to each civilization a definite section, corresponding topo-
graphically to its importance and position, in time and space.
I n this topographical distribution, which was decided by the Board of French
Museums and the Architectural Services, the Department of Oriental Antiquities was
given half the ground floor of the Cow Carre, the Sully Crypt (beneath the Pavillion
de lHorloge, and the Crypt of Saint Germain lAuxerrois (underneath the doorway of
that name), making in all twenty-four rooms and three crypts, for, besides the two
already mentioned, the Marengo Crypt was added (beneath the passage of that name).
Our aim was to regroup and display the monuments, first, geographically, and
next, chronologically. The departments field covers an enormous area : from Spain
in the West to the Persian plains in the East, and from the Black Sea in the North
to Arabia in the South. There was no difficulty in establishing groups -Mesopotamia,
Persia, Phoenicia, and Cyprus formed an obvious first group. Unfortunately, there
was no avoiding certain conditions imposed by topographical facts. If we had ob-
served a strict chronology, we should have had to show the Assyrian reliefs in Room
V and those following, since, according to our plans, Rooms I-IV were to be devoted
to Mesopotamia (Sumer, Accad and Babylon). But for the last hundred years the reliefs
from Khorsabad had stood in Rooms XXI to XXIII, at the other end of the De-
partment, and there could be no question of moving them. Similarly, the enormous
Amathonte basin, placed in the middle of Room XIX, determined the place of
Cyprus. contintledpage 98 to the Palmyra Gallery.
MU& a la salle DU de LOUVRE. Antiquits Orientales. Descente
Oriental antiquities, Staimay leading down
LE DPARTEMENT DES OBJ ETS DART
par PI ERRE V ERL ET
M U S ~ E DU I.OIJVRE. Galerie dApollon. - Vitrinc du
trsor de Saint-Denis montrant les vases de Suger.
LOUVRE. Apollo Gallery. -Case ofthe Treasure froin
St Dcnis, showing thc Suger vessels.
30
e ne crois pas, pour ma part, la musographie. J c ne pense pas quil existe une
J science des muses ni que lon puisse tablir une doctrine dc leurs arrangements.
Le rel seul doit compter; et le rel, cest lobjet dart, non pas la thorie. Des intellcc-
tuels peuvent se complaire dans dcs principcs, des ides toutes faites, des abstractions.
La moindre ralisation pose des cas despce, auxquels ne peuvent rpondre des for-
mules empruntes quelque manuel. La pratiquc fait de nous des empiriques.
Nous devons aussi tenir compte de la mode. Certaincs tendances plaisent durant
quclques annCes, puis paraissent ridicules; il est alors dangereux de les avoir riges
cn rgles. Cequune gnration a cru parfait, est critiqu et dtruit par la suivante,
sinon plus tOt. Nous subissons, sans nous en rendre compte, linfluencc de certains
((talagistes N, 11faudrait avoir piti du conservateur qui laisscrait (( faircn ses vitrines
par quelque spcialiste de la ((prsentation)). Cest lune de nos joies que le maniement
des objets dart et leur installation nous revient de droit. Mais il existe dans larrange-
ment de certains magasins de tclles inventions de rafinement et de got que, tra-
versant le faubourg Saint-Honor ou lavenue Matignon, nous les admirons et nous
pouvons, de f apn plus ou moins inconscientc, en rester impressionns.
Ayant marqu notre scepticisme et soulign le caractre phmre, et en quelque
sorte subjectif, de cette partie de notre mtier, passons au commentaire des trois
images ci-contre. Elles se rapportent lune au raninagemcnt de la Galerie dApollon
(ouverte en juin 1941), lautre la rinstallation des salles de la Colonnade au Louvre
(rouvertes en dcembre I 946), la troisime aux expositions de tapisseries franaises
qui, du printemps 1946 jusqu Line date rcentc, ont pris une large part de mon
temps.
I1mest agrable, avant de les prsenter, de dire quel appui, et bien souvent quelle
impulsion, jai reus de M. Georges Salles. Les conversations que jJ ai eues avec lui,
ses avis, IC contact de ses ides et de son got personnel mont non sculement en-
courag, mais amen parfois des solutions que je naurais pas eues ou pas oses
autrement.
Cest sous son influence quc jai rompu avec le ((style clinique)) (plaqucs de verre
et supports mtalliques), pour adopter, dans la Galerie dApollon, o les objets sont
tous trs prcieux, une prsentation toute enrobke de velours, comme si lintricur
des vitrines ne formait plus quun large crin entrouvert. Jai t ainsi amen a
faire des dcrochements sur le plan des vitrines, de fason faire ressortir certains
objets, cnfoncer et isoler certains autres. Cemouvement donn aux parois sac-
compagne du jeu obtenu par les hauteurs des socles. Telle vitrine consacre aux
objets religieux de lOrdre du Saint-Esprit est plut% traite en forme dautcl et sa
voisine, o se trouve la vaisselle du mme Ordre, en forme de dressoir. Telle autre
spare les objets du Sacre de la Vierge de J eanne dEvreux, place seulc dans la niche
centrale.
Labsence de parti-pris ma galement pouss rpartir les gcmmes tantt en des
ensembles monochromes, comme les cristaux de roche, tantt en une sortc de bou-
quet, o se rapprochent en petits groupes, en pctites taches, les diffrents jaspes, les
jades, les amthistes ou les lapis-lazulis.
Larchitecture de la Galerie dApollon est assez riche pour ne pas avoir besoin
dktre encombre de tous ces mcubles quc le XIXe sikcle y avait cntasss. Le plafond
dune part, les souvenirs historiques rpartis lintrieur des vitrines dautre part,
suffisent retenir lattention du visiteur. Tout au plus, un grand tapis de la Savon-
nerie, provenant de la dcoration primitive, a-t-il t rcmis au fond de la Galerie,
quelques mtres de lemplacement prvu pour lui sous Louis XIV.
Les salles de la Colonnade nautorisaient pas des transformations aussi pro-
fondes. Elles avaient t amnages en 1938 par M. Carle Dreyfus, selon les principes
alors admis. La fermeture de deux fen2tres sur la Colonnade a entran une nouvelle
distribution des vitrines linttricur des deux premires salles. En utilisant le velours,
dont les teintes avaient t trs heureusement choisies par M. Dreyfus, jai tt amen
modifier lintrieur des vitrines, , supprimer les tablettes de glaces, varier les dif-
frents plans. Ainsi, pour presenter les statuettes divoire du XIV sicle, jai fait
amnager des sortes dalvoles qui dtachent chacune dcs statuettes, permettent
de les prsenter plus nombreuses et les replacent dans des niches, pour lesquelles
laplupart de ces Vierges du Moyen Age, quelles soient divoire ou de pierre, ont
ktfaites.
J e ne pritends pas donner l dcxemplcs suivre. J indique seulement les rsul-
tats que lon peut trouver bons ou mauvais, dexpriences menes san9 ide pr-
conue pour des groupes dobjets dterminCs.
J ajoutc que jai trouv en M. Pierre Andr, aussi bien pour les installations de
laGalerie dApollon que pour celles de la Colonnade, un prcieux concours. Son
Sensdes proportions, le soin quil a mis dans IC travail, ont permis lextcution heu-
reuse de ceque je demandais.
La dernire image montre lune des salles de lexposition de tapisseries,
Organiseau Mus& dArt moderne en 1946. Entrain par M. Georges Sallcs a nicttre
viter en meme temps ((quelque chose de trop plat)), jai
fait Placer trs bas la plupart des tapisseries, afin de faire communiquer davantage le
Public avec elles et afin de lefaire entrer en quelque sorte dans latmosphre qui peut
se degager delles lorscluon en est tout environn et comme baign. Utilisant les res-
sources de nos muses aussi bien que celles gnreusement offertes par les Monu-
ments historiques, jai fait venir un certain nombrc dobjets dart dcoratif, meubles,
lafois du relief et de la vie. Jai rcptis cette formule, en
lul laissant de la souplesse ct cn essayant chaque fois de choisir lcs tapisseries en
fonction du local mis ma disposition, dans lcs expositions faites ensuite Amstcr-
dam*
de tapisseries et
etc. qui ajoutaient
Bruxelles, Londres et New York.
hli:st.~ nv LOLTRE. Saile de la Colonnade. - Vitrine
cuiiteiuiit, isolies dan5 des niches, les statuettes
divoire du Xl Vc sikclc.
LOUVKL. Colonnadc Gallery - Casc of fourteenth
ccntury ivory statuettes, installed in scparate niches.
3 1
THE DEPARTMENT OF
OBJ ETS DART
by PI ERRE VERL ET
Exposition de tapisserics B Paris en 1946. - Tapisse-
ries de Btrain accompagnes de quelques meubles ct
faences.
Exhibition of Tapestries in Paris, 1946. - Tapestries
by Brain shown with furniturc and ceramics.
Personally, I do not believe in museology. I do not think there is a scicncc of
museums managcment, or that a body of doctrine for their layout can bc cstablished.
Only reality need be considered; and rcality is the work of art and not theory,
Intellectuals may plume thenisclves on sets of principles, on ready-made ideas, on
abstractions. Putting thcm into practice, even to the smallcst extent, gives rise to in-
dividual cases which cannot be met by formulae taken from a handbook. Practice
makes us empiricists.
The question of fashion must also be borne in mind. Some ideas appeal for a
few years, and then look absurd; that is when it proves dangerous to have crystallized
them into rules. What one generation finds admirable is criticized or cast aside by the
next, if it does not happen earlier. Without realizing it, we are being influenccd by a
school of window-dressers. Any curator who would allow his cases to bc arrangcd
by a display specialist would be an object of pity. One of our joys is handling 0bet.r
dart and their arrangement is our right. Yet, the display of certain shops shows such
originality of refinement and taste that on our way through the Faubourg St. Honori:
or the Avenue Matignon, we are struck by them and may, whether consciously or
not, be influenced by them.
After putting on record our doubts and stressing the ephemeral and, so to speak
subjective character of this side of the profession, let us now discuss the three
illustrations attached. The first of them deals with the rearrangement of the Apollo
Gallery (opened J une 194j); the next with the rearrangement of the Colonnade
Rooms in the Louvre (re-opened December 1946); the third with the exhibitions
of French tapestries, which, from the spring of 1946 until quite recently, have oc-
cupied much of my timc.
Before enlarging on the subject, I am glad to put on record the help and often
the inspiration I received from M. Georges Salles. The talks I had with him, the
advice he gave me, and contact with his ideas and good taste, were not only a source
of encouragement but, on occasion, guided me to solutions which otherwise I should
not have found or should not have dared to attempt.
It was under his influence that I broke away from the dispensary style (glass
sheets and metal supports), and, for the Apollo Gallery, where all the exhibits are of
great value, adopted a style involving the lavish use of velvet, in order to give the
interior of the cases the appearance of a big, half-open jewel case. This led me on

to break up the layout of the cases so as to bring certain objets well,forward,
while others were isolated or placed farther back. To variations in depth was added
the play given by the use of stands of different heights. A case containing the religious
furniture of the Ordcr of the Holy Ghost is arranged on the lines of an altar, while
that next to it, containing the plate of the Order, is arranged like a dresser. I n another,
the Coronation regalia are kept separate from the Virgin of J eanne dEvreux, which
stands alone in the central recess.
Freedom from preconceived ideas also induced me to arrange precious stones, in
Someinstances in single-colour displays, e. g. rock crystals, and in others in a kind of
bouquet, grouping in splashes of colour various examples of jasper, jade, amethyst
and lapis lazuli.
Architecturally, the style of the Apollo Gallery is rich enough not to be en-
cumbered with all the furniture placed there in the twentieth century. The ceiling
and the historical relics in the cases are sufficient to hold the visitors attention.
However, a large carpet from La Sauannerie, which was part of the original decoration,
has been re-placed at the end of the Gallery within a few yards of the spot designed
for it under Louis XIV.
The Colonnade Rooms did not allow for such sweeping transformation. They
had been redecorated in 1938 by Carle Dreyfus in accordance with principles then in
vogue. The blocking of two windows giving on to the Colonnade has involved a re-
arrangement of the cases in the two first rooms. Using velvet, of different colours
happily chosen by M. Dreyfus, I was led to make changes in the cases themselves, to
do away with glass shelves and to make use of variations in depth. Thus, in exhibiting
the fourteenth century ivory statuettes, I had a series of compartments made which
frame each statuette separately; this permitted more of them to be exhibited,
and also ensured that they stood in niches, for which most such mediaeval Virgins,
whether in ivory or stone, were designed.
I do not claim that these are examples to be followed. All I ani doing is to point
out the results, good or bad, which can be achieved by experiments carried out with-
out preconceived ideas in respect of given groups of objets. I would add that I
received most valuable help from Pierre Andr in the refitting of both theyApollo
Gallery and the Colonnade Rooms. His eye for form and his careful workmanship
ensured the satisfactory performance of what I asked.
continued paie 39
NOUVELLE PRESENTATI ON
DES COLLECTIONS GY PTI ENNES
e dpartement des antiquits gyptiennes du Muse du Louvre, aprs avoir t,
L pendant de longues annes, dispers dans des groupes de salles souvent trs
tloignkes les unes des autres, a pu, grce A unc rkpartition plus logique des places dis-
ponibles, raliser son unit peu de temps avant laguerre. A cette poque, quelques
salles supplmentaires lui ayant t attribuies, un amnagement nouveau fut prtvu et
mme en partie ralise. Cest en 1937, cn efftt, que les salles du rez-de-chaussc
furent ouvertes au public dans une prsentation entircnient renouvele. La place est
trop mesure lauteur de cct articlc pour quil l ui soit permis de parlcr aussi longue-
ment quil laurait dsiri: dune ix-sentntion qui eut, auprs des visiteurs, un succs
aussi grand que lgitime. Charles Boreux, 21 qui tait due cette admirable exposition
denos collections, neut pas, inalIieureuserncnt, la possibilit dachever Iacuvre quil
avait commence. La guerre, qui bouleversa tant dc projets, mit kgalemcnt un terme
nos travaux musographiques, et, lorsquil fut possible de les reprendre, Charles
Boreux, prmaturment disparu cn 1931, n&ait plus 1h pour les diriger. La tche
damnager les salles du premier &age fut donc coiifie ses successeurs, cest--dire
a ses anciens collaborateurs, et ceux-ci sefforckrent, dans la niesure du possible, dc
Et tout dabord, il fut &cid de conserver, pour les salles du haut, laprsenta-
chronologique qui avait cte adoptCe en Las. es quatre premikres sallcs furent
donc attribues, la premitre la prhistoire et lpoque thinitc, laseconde lAn-
cien
et laPremire Piriode Intermdiaire, la troisimc au Prloycn Empire et
par J A C QU E S V A NDI E R
fidles A son esprit.
33
Mush DU LOUVRE. Collcctiotis Cgyptiennes.
Vitrine archaque.
Lowvm. Egyptiari Collections. Archaic case.
34
laXVIIIe dynastie, la quatrime, enfin, lpoque ramesside. La cinquime salle,
qui forme approximativement le centre de cette partie du dpartement gyptien,
interrotnpt cette suite chronologique. Nous avons voulu quelle ft, pour le visiteur,
comme une halte, commc un repos, ct nous ny avons expos quun nombre limit
de pices. Nous avons tout dabord group, dans les quatrc grandes vitrines murales,
quelques objets relatifs la vie quotidienne des anciens figyptiens; ces objets tant,
relativement, bcaucoup moins nombreux que les objets funraires, il Ctait difficile de
les disperser par poques dans diffkrentes salles. Kutiis par catgories, ils sont sans
aucun doute beaucoup plus loquents. On trouvera la des instruments de musique,
des jeux, des palettes de scribes, des outils agricoles, des cannes, des sceptres, des
armes, des pikes dtoffe, des sandales, des aiguilles, des Cclieveaux de fil, etc .... Les
autres vitrines de cette sallc sont occupes par des pikes de choix datant, pour la
plupart, de la fin de la XVIII? dynastie et du dbut de la SI X? dynastie. Cest l
quon trouvera la collection ainarnienne du Louvre, encadre duvres qui, prcdant
ou suivant dc peu le rPgne d hl haton, permettent dtudier dans toute son volution
cet art trange et attachant qui aurait pu, sil navait t intentionnellement aban-
donne pour des raisons la fois politiques et religieuses, rnover entirement lart
gyptien. Lvolution, malheureusement, ne sest pas faite dans cesens et on assiste
bientt une ((Renaissance)) qui se contente, le plus souvent, de sinspirer des
uvres anciennes. Cesont ces uvres qui sont exposes chronologiquement dans les
trois dernires salles consacres aux priodes pr-sate, sate, ptolmaque et copte.
Dans la rpartition des objets par vitrines, nous avons suivi trois rgles prin-
cipales :
1 0 chaque fois que la chose a t possible, les objets ont t groups par cat-
gories : vases, statues de bois, statues de pierre, bronzes, ivoires, amulettes, verres,
etc. ;
2 0 lorsquc les objets dune mCmecatgorie nc figuraient pas dans nos collections
en nombre suffisamment important pour remplir eux seuls une vitrine, nous avons
d renoncer observer lunit de genre, et nous avons cherch la rcmplacer par
lharmonic des formes, et, surtout, par lharmonie de couleurs ;
3 0 nous nous sotnmcs refuss, enfin, sparer les objets trouvs, au cours des
fouilles, dans une tombe intacte ou dans une ncropole inviole. Cest ainsi quon a
pu runir, dans une vitrine de la deuxime salle, les objets provenant de la tombe du
chancelier Nakhti, qui vivait un peu avant lan 2000 (fouilles de M. fi. Chassinat
Assiout), et, dans une vitrine de la troisime salle, le mobilier funraire trouv par
hl. B. Bruyre dans une ncropole inviole de la SVI I I e dynastie (vers I 500) Deir
el-Mdinch.
Le dernier problme qui se posait nous tait celui de la mise en valeur des
objets exposs. Le choix dun fond simposait tout dabord. I l fallait une toffe dune
nuance assez neutre qui convnt la grande majorit des pices qui composent notre
collection. I1 ntait pas possible, en effet, surtout dans les circonstances actuelles, de
rechercher, pour chaque catgorie dobjets, une couleur diffrente. Nous choismes
une teinte creme, dune chaude tonalit, qui mettait bien en valeur toute la gamme de
coulcurs que les artistes gyptiens ont utilise avec tant de bonhcur. A lexception de
quelques cas particuliers sur lesquels il est inutile dinsister ici, toutes les armoires et
tous les socles furent gains avec cette toffe.
Les socles ont naturellement jouC un grand rle dans notre prsentation nou-
velle. Nous avions, en effet, exposer des objets souvent minuscules qui, mCmelors-
quils taient un peu plus grands, ne ltaient jamais assez pour tre parfaitement
lchelle des hautes armoires Charles X dont nous disposions. Seul un systme de
socles et de contre-socles pouvait nous permettre de mettre en relief, en les groupant
par tages, des sries de petits monuments. Le problme se posait dune manire
diffkrente pour les vitrines de milieu, vitrines cubiques sans taghres, de dimensions
plus humaines, et qui, naturellement, avaient, dans notre plan, t rserves aux ob-
jets les plus prcieux. I1fallut prvoir pour ces vitrines des massifs, mais ces massifs
ne pouvaient pas avoir, dans tous les cas, la mme forme. Dautre part, il tait inutile
de rechercher une forme diffrente pour chaque vitrine, certains types pouvant con-
venir dans plusieurs cas. Six types principaux ont te mis au point. Cest sur une des-
cription forcment brve de ces modles de massifs que se terminera le prsent
article.
I U Certains objets de dimensions moyeniles sont dune qualit6 artistique si dli-
MUs f . E DU LOUVRE. Collcctiom kYPtiennes. Iltrinc
amamienne.
LOUVRE. Egyptian Collcctions. Tell el Amarnn casc.
cate quon ne saurait, sans leur nuire, les exposer au milieu dune vitrine trop charge.
Dautre part, il n&ait pas davantage possible de lcs prsenter sur autant de gaines
isoles, celles-ci ne pouvant etrc multiplies dans une memc salle sans disperser, dune
manire dsagreable, lattention du visiteur. 11nous apparut quc la solution la meil-
leure tait de grouper ces @ces par cinq ct de les exposer sur un massif qui se com-
posait dun socle assez bas en forme de croix, au centre duquel slevait un cube dune
hauteur variant suivant les cas. Ce cube supportait la pice centrale et servait gale-
ment de fond chacun des quatrc objets exposs sur les quatrc branches de la croix.
2 Les objets aniarniens occupent unc vitrine beaucoup plus longuc que large.
On construisit, pour eux, un massif en forme dc pylBne port par un soubassement A
Sommet chanfrein. Des niches, creuses la demande, furent amnages dans les
quatre faces du pylne permettant ainsi disoler des pikces de choix, et le chanfrein du
sobbassement fut rkserv (le petits objets qui tie pouvaient Gtreexposts que groups.
Tous les autres inassifs se rattachent par leur forme la pyramide, ou plutt un
de pyramide, un sominet plat tant indispensable pour la prsentation de la
Picecentrale.
3 Cettc pyramide est exceptionnellcmcnt rgulire. I1sagissait, dans ce cas par-
ticulier, de mettre en valeur quelques pices archaques et thinites de formes trts
Deux des faces de la pyramide furent laisscs en plan incline; les deux autres,
au contraire, furent creuses de faqon mnager, entre deux plans inclins troits,
une petite niche.
-
Les autres pyramides, irrgulires, sont octogotdes.
. 4 Les unes se composent de quatre grands cts conus, suivant les cas, en plans
ulclins OU en niches, et de quatre petits cts, entirement vids, qui sont occups
35
mu sf;^DU LOUVRE. Antiquits gypticnncs.
Vitrine du Moyen Empire.
LOUVRE. Egyptian Antiquities.
Middle Empire case.
par de petites tablettes de verre. Grce ce plan, vrai dire assez complexe, les
objets les plus divers peuvent tre exposs, sans se nuire, sur un mme massif.
j 0 Dans deux cas, un massif du type prcdent, mais moins haut, est surmont
dun dcuxime massif analogue, mais plus petit, de fason mnager, sur le sommet
tronqu du socle de basc, une bande troite courant sur les huit faces et convcnant
parfaitement lexposition de bagues ou de petits objets prcieux. Ces massifs ont
dailleurs i ti conus pour nos deux vitrincs de bijoux. Ides quatre grands cts de la
pyramide suprieure se prsentent, dans un cas, sous la forme de plans inclins, et,
dans lautre, sous la forme de niches, chacune de ces niches tant occupe par deux
petites marches lchelle des objets quelles devaient supporter.
6 0 Le dernier modle sinspire de la pyramide degrs. Chacune des quatre faces
de cette pyramide tronque, prsente, au centre, une niche. Les objets sont exposs
la fois dans les nichcs sur les tablettes constitues par les degrs de la pyramide, et sur
les plans inclins qui riunissent les diffrents tages du massif. Ces socles conviennent
particulirement aux bronzes, aux amulettes et aux petits objets en verre et en ivoire.
Tels sont, en bref, les principes musographiques que nous avons cru devoir ap-
pliquer. Ils nont videmment pas de valeur absolue, la musographie tant une
science en grande partie fonde sur lexprience. Un principe qui, dans telle ou telle
circonstance, ou dans un cadre dtermin, a donn des rsultats heureux, peut trs
bien ne pas convenir dans tous les cas. Le prsent article na eu pour objet que de
mettre au courant dune exprience personnelle les lecteurs dune revue entikrement
consacre au service de nos muses. En confrontant les diffrentes solutions donnes
aux multiples problmes qui se posent eux, les conservateurs de muses pourront,
peut-tre, glanant ici ou l une ide originale, prsenter au public, dans une lumire
de plus en plus claire, dans un relief de plus en plus net, les objets si divers qui leur
sont confis et dont lensemble constitue le plus bel hommage quon puisse rendre
la civilisation dj longue que lhomme, cet admirable artiste, a su crer.
THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE EGYPTIAN COLLECTI ONS
by J ACQUES VANDI ER fter being for many years dispersed over different sets of rooms, often very far
A apart, the Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Made da Loavre was able,
thanks to a more logical redistribution of available space, to be brought together as
a unit shortly before the war. At that time, several additional rooms having been
allotted to it, a new layout was planned and in part realized. The ground floor rooms
were opened to the public in 1937 with an entirely new arrangement. Space in this
article is not sufficient to allow as long an account as one would have liked to give
of that arrangement, the success of which with the public was as great as it was
merited. Charles Boreux, to whom was due this admirable presentation of our col-
lections, was unfortunately not ablc to finish the task he had begun. The war, which
upset so many plans, put an end to our museographical activities and, when it became
possible to resume them, Charles Boreux was no longer there to direct them, having
been prcmaturely lost to us in 1944. The task of arranging the first floor rooms was
therefore entrusted to his successors - his former colleagues - who endcavoured to
remain as far as possible faithful to his spirit.
I n the first place, it was decided to keep for the upstairs rooms the chronological
arrangement adopted below. The first four rooms were accordingly assigned : the
first to pr -history and the Thinite period, the second to the Old Empire and to the
and the fourth to the Ramesside period. The fifth room, which occupies approximately
the centre of this part of the Egyptian Department, interrupts the chronological
order. It was our desire to make it a sort of halt or resting place for visitors, and only
a small number of pieces is on view there. First, in the four large wall cases we
brought together sundry objects relating to the evcryday life of the ancient Egyp-
tians; in comparison with funerary objects, these pieces were few in number, and it
was dificult to distribute them by periods throughout the different rooms; there can
be no question that they are much more effective assembled by types. They include
musical instruments, toys, scribes palettes, agricultural implements, staffs, sceptres,
arms, pieces of material, sandals, needles, hanks of thread etc. The other cases in this
First Int R mediate Period, the third to the Middle Empire and the XVI I I th Dynasty,
room are occupied by selected pieces dating, for the most part, from the end of the
XVIIIth and the beginning of the XIXth Dynasties. Here, the Amarnian collection
,fthe Louvre, ranging from works of just before and just after the reign of Akhnaton,
enables us to study the whole development of this strange and fascinating art
which, had it not been deliberately abandoned for reasons both political and reli-
ious, might have introduced an entirely new spirit into Egyptian art. Unhappily
g
developments did not follow this path, and we view shortly afterwards a renaissance,
which is content in the main to take its inspiration from ancient works, These are
the works displayed in chronological order in the last three rooms which arc devoted
to the pre-Saite, Saite, Ptolemaic and Coptic periods.
In arranging objects by cases, wc have followed three main rules :
I . Whenever possible, objects have been grouped by categories : vases, wooden
statues, stone statues, bronzes, ivories, amulets, glass ware etc.
2. When there was not a sufficiently large number of objects of one category
in our collection to fill a case alone, we were obliged to depart from unity of class
and endeavoured to replace it by harmony of form and, still more, harmony of colour;
3. Finally, we refused to separate objects found in the course of excavation in
an intact tomb or undisturbed necropolis. Thus, in a case in the second room, objects
coming from the tomb of the Chancellor Nakhti, who lived a little before the year
2000, are shown together (Assiout excavations by M. E. Chassinat), and, in the case
in the third room, the funeral furniture found by M. B. Bruyre in an unviolated
necropolis of the XVIIIth Dynasty (about I 5 00) at Deir-el-Medineh.
The last problem confronting us was that of setting off exhibits to the best ad-
vantage. First came the choice of background. A material of a fairly neutral shade
was required, which would suit the great majority of the articles in our collection.
It was not possible, particularly under present circumstances, to find a different colour
for each category of object, so we chose a warm cream tint which gave their full
value to the whole range of colours employed to such good effect by Egyptian artists.
Apart from a few special instances which we need not elaborate here, all the cases
and stands were finished with this material.
Stands naturally played a large part in our new arrangement. We had to display
objects which are often extremely small and which, even when slightly larger, were
never large enough to measure up to our tall Charles X cases. Only a system of stands
and pedestals could enable us to throw sets of small monuments into relief
by arranging them in tiers. Thc problem was different for the central cases,
which are cubic in shape, without shelves and of more reasonable proportions,
ancl which were naturally reserved in our scheme for the most valuable exhibits.
LCOLE DU LOUVRE
par MA RCEL A UBERT enseignement de la musographie est relativement rcent. Les conservateurs se
formaient autrefois eux-mkmes : leur connaissance des choses de lart et de lar-
chtologie, leur attachement aux collections dont ils avaient la charge, leur goGt
Personnel dcvaient suppler i. toute formation professionnelle. Peu A peu se forma,
Par lexprience, une tradition que lon se passait de prdcesseur en successeur, aussi
bien pour laconservation des muvres que pour leur prsentation, en inkme temps que
la connaissance de lart et de larchologie, acquise par les tudes gnrales plus encore
Par la pratique, lanalyse et la comparaison, et surtout par le commerce journalier avec
les uvres, devenait de plus en plus profonde.
Cest ainsi que se cra la sciencc de la musographie. Son enseignement ne
Pouvait tre mieux donn quau milieu des uvres elles-mmes, dans le palais qui les
abrite.
Fonde en 1882, lG,colc du Louvre avait pour objet lenseignement de lar-
chdologie et de lhistoire de lart, appliqu aux euvres et aux monuments qui com-
Posent les collections des muses nationaux ct des grands musCes de France et de
Ietranger, et aussi la formation dun personnel capable dtre employ dans les
et dans les missions savantes.
37
La rorganisation rcente des muses nationaux et des muses dpartementaux
et municipaux classs, exigeait la cration dun personnel plus nombreux, non seu-
lement comptent, mais prsentant unc formation scientifique uniforme. TI a donc
paru ncessaire de modifier lorganisation et le programme de IJ kole du Tdouvre, dont
le diplme est exig de tous les candidats aux fonctions de conservateur et dassistant
des muses nationaux, dpartementaux et municipaux classs.
Soucieux de rpandre dans le public des notions gnrales sur Iarchologie et
lart et sur les collections des muses nationaux, on a laiss subsister les auditeurs
et les lves libres dsireux de sinitier lhistoire dc lart, et de se familiariser avec
les uvres conserves dans les muses.
Mais, voulant avant tout former des lves spcialiss dans ltude de lhistoire
de lart, et dcids se consacrer la conservation des muses, on a cr une cadgoric
dlves agrs, recruts par concours et forms par une prparation plus pousse
et plus pratique.
La dure des tudes est de trois ans; les lves suivent obligatoirement, outre
le cours dhistoire gnrale de lart dvelopp en trois annes et embrassant toute
lhistoire de lart depuis la prhistoire jusqu nos jours, deux cours organiques, et,
en deuxime et troisime annes, un enseignement de la musographie thorique et
pratique. Tous ces cours sont complts par des travaux pratiques, des confrences
techniques, des visites diriges, qui donnent aux lves une initiation et une formation
professionnelle qui les prparent directement la carrire des muses.
Les cours organiques, diviss en trois sections, sont faits par les conservateurs et,
pour quelques-uns, par des savants particulirement distingus dans leur spcialit.
La premire section comprend larchologie nationale et prhistorique, larchologie
gyptienne, larchologie orientale, larchologie grecque et romaine, la cramique
antique, et des confrences dpigraphie gyptienne, assyrienne et smitique ; la
deuxime, lhistoire des arts de lExtrme-Orient, larchologie et les arts de 1Indc
et de lInde extrieure, lhistoire des arts musulmans ; la troisime section lhistoire
de la sculpture du Moyen Age, de la Renaissance et des temps modernes, lhistoire de
la peinture, des origines la fin du XVIIIe sicle (Ecole fransaise et Ecoles trangres),
lhistoire de la peinture au XIXe sicle et au dbut du XXe, lhistoire de la gravure
et de la mdaille, lhistoire des arts appliqus lindustrie, lhistoire du style et du
dcor des palais nationaux, lhistoire des arts et des traditions populaires.
Lenseignement de la musographie comprend un cours thorique consacr
lhistoire et aux principes gnraux de lorganisation et de la prsentation des muses
et des collections particulires en France et ltranger ; un cours sur ladministration,
lamnagement, le fonctionnement et la mise en valeur des muses; des confrences
techniques confies des spcialistes sur lentretien, la conservation et la restauration
des uvres dart; des confrences faites par des conservateurs fransais et trangers
sur lorganisation ou la rorganisation des muses quils dirigent. Cet enseignement
est complt par des stages et par la visite dirige des diffrents dpartements du
Muse du Louvre et des autres muses nationaux, qui mettent les lves mme
dexercer leur mtier de conservateur, aussitt aprs avoir subi lpreuve de la thse
qui couronne les tudes.
Tel est cet enseignement professionnel, sans cesse complt, donn 1cole du
Louvre. I1a permis de former, pour les muses nationaux comme pour les muses
de province classs, des conservateurs capables dassurer un classement plus logique,
un meilleur entretien et une prsentation plus heureuse des collections qui leur sont
confies, et den dresser des catalogues critiques et raisonns.
T HE COLE DU L OUV R E
by MARCEL AUBERT
38
r )
he teaching of museography is comparatively an innovation. Formerly, museum
T curators taught themselves : their knowledgc of art and archaeology, their de-
votion to the collections in their chargc, and their personal taste, had to make up
for all professional training. Little by little, however, experience crcated a tradition
which was handed down by a curator to his successor, both as regards the conserv-
ation of works of art, and their display. At the same time, the knowledge of art and
archaeology acquired by gencral study - still more by practice, analysis and compari-
son, and most of all by daily contact with worlts of art - grew ever deeper.
I n this way was born the science of museology, and it could not be better taught
than among the works of art themselves, in the building where they are housed.
The purpose of the hc oI e dzd Louvre, which was founded in 1882, was to teach
archaeology and the history of art in its application to the works and monuments
composing the collections of the national museums and of the great museums of
France and other countries, and also to train a staff which should be qualified for
employment in the museums and on technical missions.
The recent reorganization of the national museums and of the scheduled pro-
vincial and municipal museums called for a larger staff, which should not only be
competent but also possess a uniform scientific training. It therefore became necessary
change the organization and programme of the Ecole du Louvre, the diploma of which
is required of all candidates for posts of curator and assistant with national, provincial
and municipal museums.
In order that the public might be able to acquire general notions of archaeology
and art and know something about our national collections, it was decided to retain
the system of auditors and students not studying for credit, who wish to obtain an
introduction to art history and to acquaint themselves with the collections in mu-
seums.
But, first of all, with the object of training specialists in the history of art who
intend to devote themselves to the care of museums, there has been created a category
of approved students, recruited by competition and subjected to more extensive and
more practical training.
The period of study is three years, and these students have to attend - besides
a three-year course in the general history of art covering the whole span, from
prehistoric times until our own day - two systematic courses and, in the second and
third years, a course of theoretical and practical museography. These courses are
supplemented by practical work, technical lectures and directed visits, which give
the students a professional introduction and training in direct preparation for
their career.
The systematic courses are divided into three sections and are given by the curator
and, in some cases, by experts especially distinguished in their own fields. The first
section comprises national and prehistoric archaeology, Egyptian archaeology, Oriental
archaeology, Greek and Roman archaeology, ancient pottery and lectures on Egyptian,
Assyrian and Semitic epigraphy. The second section embraces the art history of
the Far East, the archaeology and arts of India and the Indies, and the history
of Moslem art; the third section comprises the history of Mediaeval, Renaissance and
Modern sculpture; the history of painting from its origins to the end of the eight-
eenth century (French and foreign schools) ; the history of painting in the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries ; the history of engravings and medallions ; the history
of industrial design; the history of the style and ornament of the national palaces,
and the history of popular arts and folk-lore.
The teaching of museography includes a theoretical course devoted to the
history and general principles of the organization and presentation of the museums
and private collections of France and foreign countries; a practical course on the
administration, equipment, operation and development of museums; technical
lectures by specialists on the upkeep, conservation and restoration of works of art;
lectures by French and foreign curators on the organization or rearrangement of the
in their charge. This instruction is supplemented by probationary courses
and by directed visits to the different departments of the Louvre and other national
museums. These qualify the students to practise their profession of curator as soon as
the thesis by which their studies are completed has been accepted.
Such is the professional instruction given at the Ecole di 4 Lomre, and it is constantly
being supplemented and extended. It has made it possible to train, both for the
museums and for the museums under the direction of the National French
system in the provinces, curators who are qualified to provide a more logical
chssification, a better upkeep and a more effective presentation of the collcctions
entrusted to their care, and to compile critical and methodical catalogucs of these
collections.
39
UNE EXPRI ENCE: LE MUSE DE LI MPRESSI ONNI SME
par GERMA I N BA ZI N est en grande partic la Sociitk dcs Nations, et par lintermdiaire de lOffice in-
C ternational des Muses, quest d lessor magnifique de la musographic entre les
deux guerres. Les rsultats remarquables auxquels on parvint en trente ans prouvent
quel rapide dveloppemcnt peut parvenir une institution humaine quand lintrusion
de la politique ne vient pas adultrer la coordination des changes internationaux. Le
mtier de conservateur de muse est maintenant sorti du cadre strictement national;
il est une vtritable internationale professionnelle, semblable celles qui existaient
autrefois et qui, par dessus les frontires, servaient mieux que toute idologie la cause
de luniversel, Le conservateur dun grand muse actuel, plus qu lopinion des ama-
teurs de son propre pays, se sent expos au jugement de ses pairs, les conservateurs
des autres grands musies du monde.
J.a multiplication des changes avait fait natre une grande mulation interna-
tionale qui portait les conservateurs mettre en commun leurs recherches et leur
exprience en vue de lasolution des problmes poss. Ces recherches portrent sur-
tout sur les questions techniques. Dans tous les pays dEurope et cn Amrique furent
construits des muses qui constiturent de vritables terrains dexprience. Avec
un grand luxe de moyens, furent mis en uvre tous les procds que fournissait le d-
veloppement de la technique moderne pour obtenir les ralisations les plus satis-
faisantes des problmes poss par la construction des difices, la conservation des
axvres, la distribution, la prscntation et lutilisation rationnelle des collections,
lclairage, la scurit, la mission pdagogique et sociale. Domin par cet impratif
fonctionnaliste, on etait arriv parfois concevoir des muses aussi abstraits quun
laboratoire ou une clinique, vritables ((machines conserver et prsenter des uvres
dart)), o le spcialiste trouvait son compte, mais non le visiteur qui sy sentait quel-
que peu dpays.
On peut considrer cette priode de recherches spculatives comme close. Grce
cette mise au point qui sest droule sur un plan universel, on peut dire que la
musographie possde maintenant un corpus de principes qui forment une base trs
solide la profession, pour peu quon vite de lui donner ce caracttre doctrinaire qui
ne peut que nuire dans une institution qui met en valeur tant de facteurs sensibles.
Cest sur ces derniers facteurs que le conservateur de muse doit porter dsormais
toute son attention. Nous possdons une technique sre de la musographie ; celle-ci
MCSE DU JEU DE PAUME. Ecolc des Impression-
vu du Ministre de laMarinel lacc
de la Concorde.
The i2lriJieethtjeucle Iuunle. lmpressioriist School.Vicw
from thc hfinzJtre de ~ n ~ a r z , 2 e , place de la concorde,
ne doit pas nous faire oublier quil existe aussi une ((potique)) des muses. Un muse
doit tre, dans une certaine mesure, lui aussi une czuvre dart, propre enrichir la
sensibilit du visiteur, autant qua linstruirc, ct ceci, non pas seulement par la qua-
lit brute des uvres exposes, mais par les justes proportions de tous les Clments
dun ensemble. I1 doit se dgager du groupement des uvres, de leur distribution, de
leur squence, de leurs relations avec le milieu, une atmosphre harmonieuse qui lais-
sera au visiteur une impression durable. Des conservateurs de talent sont arrivs
crer ainsi, avec un matriel trts mdiocre, des muses qui nont dautre mrite que
le charme de leur prsentation et qui remplissent ainsi parfaitement leur mission, en
contribuant lducation du got dans une petite ville, o seul le muse vient rappeler
une population endormie dans un matrialisme routinier quil existe autre chose que
les sordides proccupations de la vie courante.
Dans un tel muse, le choix du cadre ne peut tre indiffrent ; il est mme, peut-
tre, primordial. On lavait senti ds les annes qui suivirent 1930, poque qui vit le
point culminant du fonctionnalisme musographique. On avait voulu prsenter
luvre dart dans une absolue neutralit du cadre, afin que rien ne vienne distraire
le spectateur de la transe du chef-daeuvre. On dt vite constater que cette excessive
neutralit accroissait considtrablement la fatigue du visiteur. La ((fatigue musogra-
phique )) est un Clment auquel les conservateurs ne sauraient porter trop dattention.
Elle est non seulement dordre physique, mais plus encore psychologique. Si elle est
due, chez le visiteur moyen, une insufisante initiation, chez le connaisseur elle puise
sa source dans lintensit de son motion meme. La tension sensible quexige la
visite dun muse entrane une dpense nerveuse considrable, accrue encore chez le
touriste qui sait son temps compt et qui se trouve partag entre la crainte de ne pas
sattarder sur une aeuvre qui le sduit, ou dc ((manquer)) des chefs-
dsceuvre. Cette crainte peut aller jusqu langoisse pour lhommc cultiv qui rpugne
a la spcialisation et qui sintresse aux manifestations artistiques lcs plus diverses.
ors il est certain que le muse clinique)) apportc des lments de fatiguc supplmcn-
taireS. La tension nerveuse est avive par la sensation dtre dans un milicu abstrait,
du monde extrieur et du milieu vivant, situation que certains conservateurs
de muse avaient recherche volontairement comme la plus propice la purctC ct
la gratuit de la transe esthtique. La prfrence accorde lclairage znithal, qui
longtemps fut admis comme de rgle, du moins pour les peintures, contribuait encore
A cette abstraction accablante du milieu, sans compter que cette incidcnce anormale
de 1%lumire, lorsquelle est prolonge, cause une ccrtaine fatigue optique, encore
mal tudie.
Lidal serait donc quon puisse se promener dans un muse comme dans un
jardin dont la visite, mme prolonge, dlasse, au lieu de fatiguer. I1faut pour cela,
entre les uvres et leur cadre, un accord de relation qui donne au visiteur limpression
de setrouver dans un milieu vivant et naturel. I1est bon, chaque fois quon IC peut,
de permettre des vues sur le dehors; lorsque celui-ci nest pas hostile (comme une rue
passante et bruyante), il procure de brefs instants de dtente o la sensibilit peut se
recharger au contact de la nature; et lorsque la vue du dehors se trouve en accord
avec luvre expose, on arrive une solution parfaite. Cela entrane videmment la
nkcessit davoir recours, au moins partiellement, lclairage latral et, pour notables
quen soient les inconvnients, il vaut mieux peut-&tre ladmettre en le corrigeant
que de plonger le visiteur dans labstraction de la bote couvercle lumineux.
Ladoption de ce parti entrane un choix de milieux accords aux uvres. Les
Etats-Unis ont si bien compris cette ncessit qua grands frais les muses amricains
ont transport dEurope des monuments entiers. Lc plus bel exemple dc ce type de
muse o le cadrc est lui-mme objet dexposition est lenscmble des Cloisters de New
York, qui furent rorganiss en 193 8 dans un parc, grce unc donation Rockefeller
au Metropolitan Museum avec les Clments rassembls dans un invraisemblable bric-
A-brac par le sculpteur George Grey Barnard qui ils avaient t achets en 1926. Les
plus charmants muses sont CCUX o un conservatcur est ainsi arrive crer une
IA S~I .L E BOUDIN, sorte dintroduction au Muse, est
une salle de comparaison o des tableaux de Corot,
Daubigny, Isabey, Chintreuil, Delacroix, Boudin,
J ongkind, prsents ct de Monet, Sisley, Pis-
sarro, montrent comment sest forme lCole du
plcinair.
THE BOUDIN GALLLRY, as an introduction to thc
Museum, provides a comparison between pictures
by Corot, Daubigny, Isabey, Chintreuil, Dela-
croix, Boudin and J ongkind, and others by Claude
Monet, Alfred Sisley and Camille Pissarro, thus
depicting the development of the open-air school.
De larges
des Tuile!
nismc une
Large wir:
ries Gard
setting of
ambiance dordre quasi-musical. J e citerai, par exemple, I C musCeimprial de Petro-
polis ktabli dans lancienne rsidence de Pedro II, prs de Rio-de-J aneiro, ou, au
Brsil encore, cet exquis ((Muse dc lor)) de Sahara, amnag dans une ancienne rsi-
dence de lor par un conservatcur humaniste et homme de got: h4. de illmeida.
Nombreux sont maintenant. en Europe lcs muses de ce genre. La rkalisation la plus
magnifique qui ait t faite dun accord entre contenant ct contenu est la CaRcz-
zonico, de Venise, o, dans un palais se mirant sur le grand canal et bti par Baldas-
sare Longhena, sont distribus les chefs-duvre de la peinture et du mobilier rococo
vnitien. Deux hcures passks dans un tel muse ne fatiguent pas plus quune pro-
mcnade en gondole sur la lagune.
Cest une exprience de ce genre qui a t tente au Muse de lImpressionnisme.
Avant I R guerre, nos collections de peinture de cette poquc se trouvaient disperskes
en dcux endroits fort loigtiks du MasGedu Idouvre. Lcs triljleaux de la collection
Camondo taient runis en trois pctites salles oil les vues sur la perspcctive des
Tuileries nc sufisaient pas compenser la mauvaise impression due lentassement
des mivres, cadre cadre. Les autres tablcaux de la collection taient prtsents au
dernier tage de la Colonnade, dans dcs conditions plus conformcs aux principes
musographiques modernes. Mais toutes les salles taient pourvues de lclairage
haics, ouvertes sur ladmirablr paysage
k s , donnent au hlusdc dc lImpression-
ambiance dc verdure, dcm ct de ciel.
idours opening onto the dclightful Tuilc-
ens give the A l m e do Il~Jpre.r.notrisINP a
grcen trees, water and sky.
42
,nithal. Prives despace, de soleil et de tout contact avec la nature, ces euvres,
Aprs la Libration, le projet de rorganisation temporaire du dpartement des
peintures, envisageait de donner aux Impressionnistes unc prsentation spciale. Liin-
de cette cole dart dans la peinture franaise, son succs univcrsel, lunit
deson esthtique, la grande cohsion des artistes qui collaborrent cc mouvement
justifiaient cette mise en valeur dune des plus belles ralisations de lart franais.
Lancien J eu de Paume des Tuileries fut choisi, sur la proposition des conservateurs
du dpartement, pour abriter lexposition des toiles dc cette cole. Ctait donncr A
celle-ci un tour de faveur dans la rinstallation progressive de nos collections de
peinture; cette dcision tait motive par la grande popularit de ces chefs-duvre
et rimpatience du public les revoir; par ailleurs, la prochaine ouverture du Muse
dArt moderne rendait souhaitable pour lducation du public cette concurrence de
derniers mouvements esthtiques du XlXe sicle et de lart daujourdhui. La rap-
parition, en ce jour de printemps 1947, de cette peinture dlivre de toute angoisse
et refltant la joie de vivre dune poque heureuse, fut pour les Parisiens comme un
symbole de la paix revenue.
Ida situation du J eu dc Paume tait excellente pour la ralisation dun accord
entre contenant et contenu. Cebtiment avait t construit sous le second Empire
pour servir de J eu de Paume au prince imprial. I1consistait alors en deux grandes
salles, claires par en haut au moyen darcades claire-voie et Ctablies de chaque ct
dun pavillon. Cet dihce, dont la sobre architecture sharmonise si bien avec lad-
mirable dcor de la place de la Concorde et des Tuileries, a t amnag en 193.z
en local musographique par M. Camille Lcfvrc, alors architecte en chef du Palais du
Louvre. Au moyen dune grande dalle de ciment, les deux salles de jeu furent refen-
dues en deux tages; chaque tage fut divis en deux sries de salles orientes les unes
au nord, les autres au sud. Larchitecte eut le bon got de laisser apparents lex-
trieur les grands vitrages qui conservent au btimcnt son allure aristocratique de J eu
de Paume, bien quils fussent presque tous masqus lintrieur par des cloisons,
pour augmenter la surface dexposition et permettre un clairage par verrikre de deux
grandes salles situes ltage haut, les trois autres salles de cet tage prenant jour
par de vastes baies latrales dont les percements furent ainsi respects. Une rserve
cloisons mobiles fut crc lextrmit des lune des ailes et le pavillon central fit place
un vaste escalier. Le rez-de-chausse resta clair latralement. Tant au rez-de-chausse
qua ltage, le muse a donc des jours nombreux sur le dehors. La distribution in-
tkrieure est fort heureuse; elle offre une succession de salles grandes ou petites, de
plan allong ou ramass, ce qui permet de grandes facilits pour la rpartition des
Oeuvres et constitue une squence de volumes varis et harmonieux qui enlvc la
visite toute monotonie. La diversit des modes dclairage et dcs vues est galement
une source de plaisir, Au rez-de-chausse, le ct nord laisse entrer une lumire froide,
accorde dailleurs au paysage urbain quon aperoit des fentres ; la lumire chaude
du sud mane de ladmirable paysage de verdure, deau et de ciel quoffre le jardin
des Tuileries. A ltage, le visiteur retrouve ces vues plus tendues sur IC parc; ce-
Pendant, deux grandes salles claires par verrire favorisent la concentration de lat-
tention ~(musographique)). Cemuse montre quel parti il est possible de tirer dun
b$timent ancien dont ladaptation tait, il est vrai, rendue aise par labsence de di-
visions intrieures. Toutefois il prsente quclques inconvnients dordre technique ;
la mdiocre solidit des murs, le peu de dgagement des toitures angle trs obtus
ne Permettant pas linstallation dun systme de climatisation permanent, on dt se
contenter de prvoir un simple central chauffage pour lhiver.
Cemuse avait t amnag pour abriter lcs collections nationales dart tranger
Il a paru, aprs la guerre, que laplace de celles-ci - qui dailleurs sont
refondre compltement - tait au grand Muse dArt moderne, construit en 1937,
lors de 1Exposition universelle. I1fut dcid dutiliser cet excellent local pour faire
lexptrience dun Muse de lImpressionnisme, en y regroupant toutes les Oeuvres de
CPoquey possdes par le Louvrc, ce qui, par ailleurs, les rapprocheraient des
*mjhiaJ de Monet, installes, suivant la volont de lartiste lui-mme, dans lebti-
ment de lorangerie situ en pendant du J ru de Paume, A lextrmit des Tuileries.
Dans ce muse ouvert si largement sur lanature, ces hymnes labeaut de laluniirc
Ot de la
entreraient en contact direct avec un paysage qui, par la finesse de
dans la joie de vivre en plein air, taicnt comme exiles.
_.. , .. I. -
Plusieurs tableaux trbs clairs de Sisley, Pissarro et
surtout Monet, ont t prsents sans autre cncadre-
ment quune simple bordure de papier blanc
masquant les clous; I C visiteur a limpression
dentrer dans lespace m&me du tableau. Dans laSallc
Monet, pour ne pas contrarier lharmonie de tous
ces tableaux dcadrs, les tiqucttcs ont t sup-
primes et remplaces par une pancarte densemblc.
Several very light-coloured pictures by Sislcy, Pis-
sarro and, particularly, Monet are shown framed only
by a strip of white paper to conceal the nails; one
has a feeling of walking right into the picture. In thc
Monet Room, in order to avoid spoiling thc effect of
all these pictures without frames, ag eneral descript-
ive label has been used instead of individual ones.
43
SALLE GAUGUIN: groupement de tableaux de CE-
zanne, Henri Rousseau, Gauguin, Van Gogh. Deux
tetes de Rodin introduisent un rythme dans le mur
central, qui est trop long. Pour siges du muse,
on a choisi des chaises de vrandah qui rappellent
lide de jardin.
THE GAUGUI N ROOM : a group of pictures by Czanne,
Henri Rousseau, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Two
heads by Rodin break the expanse of the wall,
which was too long. Garden chairs are used as seats
in the Museum to preserve open-air atmosphere.
Suite paxe 99
son ciel et les nuances de ses tons, expliquc cet Cpanouissement de la sensibilit fran-
aise quest lImpressionnisme. Laccord entre le muse et son cadre naturel est si
complet quil ny a plus en quelque sorte dintrieur ni dextricur; le visiteur peut
sans cesse changer sa sensation du dehors avec celles du dedans, comparer la nature
vraie la feinte; le beau ciel de IIle-de-France semble prolonger celui des tableaux,
et, du haut de lescalier sur le grand bassin des Tuileries qui sert de petite marine aux
enfants, il est loisible de contempler des rgates en miniature, qui font penser celles
de Claude Monet.
Cependant le problme du regroupement tait fort complexe. I1tait indispen-
sable de faire succder les ceuvres en un ordre la fois logique et sensible. Or, la
presque totalit des collections impressionnistes provient de dons et legs; sur len-
semble il ny a pas plus de I 2 o/io acquis par lEtat, soit 3 8 tableaux achets, contre 284
entrs par donation, sur un total de 3 22. Plus que lmuvre de lEtat, ce muse est celle
des Franais. Cest un aspect dun phinomne propre aux institutions franaises et
qui na pas t suffisamment relev. La vie publique de notre pays fut longtemps faite
AN EXPERI MENT: THE I MPRESSI ONI ST MUSEUM
by GERMAI N BAZI N
44
he remarkable advance of museography between the two wars was largely due to
T the League of Nations, and particularly to the International Museums Office. The
notable results achieved in thirty years show what rapid strides can be made in the
development of a human institution when no politics intrude to hamper the co-
ordination of international exchanges. The profession of museum curator has now
overstepped national limits ; it has become a true professional internationale,
similar to those earlier institutions which, spreading across frontiers, rendered greater
services to the universalist cause than any ideology could do. I n our time, the curator
of a large museum has to face the judgment of his peers - that is, the curators of other
large museums all over the world - even more than the opinion of art lovers in his
own country.
The increasing number of exchanges gave rise to a great international rivalry,
which led curators to pool their investigations and their experience in the search for
a solution of their problems. These investigations were concerned particularly with
technical questions. The museums that sprang up in all countries of Europe and in
America became, in fact, fields of experimentation. With the help of lavish funds all
the processes made available by the development of modern science were employed
obtain the best possible results for the construction of the buildings, the preserv-
ation of works of art, the distribution, display and rational utilization of collections,
lighting, safety-devices, and the educational and social purpose of museums. As a
result of the primary importance attached to these functional matters, museums were
often looked upon during this period as impersonally as laboratories or clinics; they
were practically machines for the preservation and display of works of art, in which
specialists might find satisfaction, but where the ordinary visitor felt a little ill at ease.
This phase of speculative investigation may be considered as ended, Reorgani-
zation on a world scale, as mentioned above, has endowed museography with a body
of principles which provides a solid found tion for the profession, so long as it can
many emotive factors. I t is these to which the museum curator of to-day must pay
full attention. The fact that we possess an excellent museographical technique must
not blind us to the existence also of a poetics of museums. A museum should, to
Someextent, be itself a work of art, capable of developing the sensibility of the
visitor as well as teaching him; and this it should achieve, not only through the sheer
quality of the exhibits, but also through the balance of all the factors which make
up a collection. The arrangement of the works, their distribution, sequence and
relationship to their surroundings, should produce a harmonious atmosphere which
will make a lasting impression on the visitor. I n this way, gifted curators have
with poor materials, managed to establish museums whose whole merit lies in their
pleasing arrangement, and these museums fulfil their purpose very well by helping
to develop a love of the beautiful in the inhabitants of some little town where the
museum is the one place in which the population, dulled by the daily round, can
realize there are other things besides the sordid problems of everyday life.
I n museums, the choice of background is always important; it may even indeed
be of paramount importance. This has been realized since the early thirties when
museographic functionalism reached its zenith. The principle then adopted was to
show a work of art in a completely neutral setting, so that nothing should distract
the spectator from ecstatic contemplation of the masterpiece. It was soon found,
however, that this extreme neutrality sensibly added to the visitors fatigue. Museum
avoid pedantry, which can only be harmfu \ to an institution designed to exploit so
continued page 101
LE MUSE
art moderne franais tait reprscntt: autrefois au Muse du Luxembourg. Son
site, auprs du Quartier Idatin, voquait des ides agrables et les salles jouissaient
dun clairage favorable. Mais le btiment savrait insuffisant. On comprit que la
J3n se devait de possder un Muse dArt moderne vaste, neuf, et dont la nou-
veautk meme marquerait lintention de rompre avec le caracthre dsuet des collections
du Luxembourg, et de rassembler enfin, de fason mkthodique, des (ruvres caractkris-
tiques des rkvolutions artistiques qui se sont produites en France depuis cinquante
ans et qui ont de faon si clatante servi le prestige spirituel de notre pays.
Le palais construit A cet effet entre lnvenuc du Prksident-Wilson et le quai de
Tokio, aujourdhui clliai de New York, se partage en deux bhtiinents, lun apparte-
nant A la Ville, lantre ,i ]Etat. Cest donc cc dernier qui est devenu le Muske dArt
moderne. Ce palais fut difi loccasion de lExposition dcs Arts et Techniques de
I937, par MM. Dondel, Aubert, Viard et Dastugue. Dans la partie de 1Etat eut lieu
ce moment la fameuse RC.trospective des Chefs-dCEuvre de lArt franais.
La guerre enipcha linstallation des collections du Luxembourg dans leur noli-
veau logis. Quelques manifestations y eurent lieu aprs la Libration, dont 1Expo-
ltion de la Tapisserie franaise et unc exposition de lUnesco. Dts que jeus pris
la direction du Musee dArt modt.riit., je me proccupai, avec mes collaborateurs,
et
dans ines efforts par la Direction des Arts et Lettres, la Direction des
de France, la Direction des Arts plastiqucs et le Conseil des Muses, dac-
crorre aussi rapidement et compltement que possible le fonds du Luxembourg.
DART MODERNE
par J EAN CA SSOU
I1 fallait montrer que le divorce qui, jusque-l, avait spare 1E:tat de lart vivant
nexistait plus. I1fallait, en ouvrant le Muse, pouvoir offrir au public uric rcpr-
sentation significative des grands artistes et des grands mouvements qui, depuis cin-
quante ans, avaient illustrk et continuaient dillustrer la civilisation fransaise. Toute
une campagne dachats se poursuivit en ce sens. Enfin, le Muse dArt moderne fut
ouvert au public en prsence de M. le Ministre Pierre Dourdan, le I O juin 1947.
Des amliorations avaient pu tre apportLes la disposition intrieure du Musk,
son clairage, la proportion des salles et des galeries: beaucoup de celles-ci
savraient trop longues, beaucoup de celles-l trop vastes. Cest un principe de la
musographie actuelle que de ne pas effrayer le visiteur par des perspectives tendues
o le dfil des uvres offertes son attention se prisente de faon monotone. I1
lui faut des coupures, des ponctuations, des repos. 11faut aussi pour la plupart des
ceuvres, sauf telles muvres de caractre dcoratif et spectaculaire, une certaine intimitk
qui concentre lattention. Nos collaborateurs et moi nous nous entendmes donc
couper les espaces et en varier les dimensions par des cloisons et des pis.
A son entre dans le muse, par lavenue du Prsident-Wilson, le visiteur se
trouve dans un hall o laccueillent dimportantes pices de sculpture, pour la plupart
dAristide Maillol. L, plusieurs directions le sollicitent. Le Muse ayant kt construit
sur une pente et lentre de la rue de la Manutention, au-dessous du niveau du quai,
tant en contre-bas par rapport lentre de lavenue du Prsident-Wilson, un difficile
probkme soffrait aux architectes comme il soffre aux conservateurs. Des panneaux
explicatifs avec plans, flches et indications diverses, donnent aux visiteurs un aperu
gnral de la composition du Muse, des uvres quils trouveront dans telle ou telle
salle, des itinraires quils peuvent adopter.
Litinraire logique, et qui est conseill au visiteur dsireux de parcourir len-
semble du Muse, consiste commencer par ltage o il se trouve, de plain-pied
avec lavenue du Prsident-Wilson, et que lon appclle le rez-de-chausse haut. I1se
dirige alors vers la gauche, visite deux salles isoles consacres lune aux Division-
nistes, lautre 1Ecole de Pont-Aven, qui forment le lien avec les collections de
lImpressionnisme appartenant au Louvre et conserves dsormais au J eu de Paume,
et pntre dans la grande galerie oy avec les Nabis, cest--dire Maurice Denis,
Vuillard et Bonnard, dbute le panorama de lapeinture fransaise moderne que nous
offrons au public. A partir de ce moment, celui-ci, de salle en salle, de galerie en
galerie, est port dans le droulement de cette histoire, travers le Fauvisme, le
Cubisme, les Nafs, la tradition raliste. Une place particulikre a pu tre, dans ce
diroulement, amnage pour les grands crateurs qui en marquent les moments capi-
taux : Bonnard, Rouault, 1.a Fresnaye, Matisse, Braque, Picasso. Nous nignorons
pas que nous avons encore ici dimportantes lacunes combler, en particulier en
ce qui concerne Dufy.
Ida circulation est donc ici heureusement rgle, et le visiteur qui la suit suit en
mPme temps la chronologie des matres et des kcoles. Des vitrines, discrtes et aussi
peu pdantes que possible, laident dans son information en lui proposant des docu-
ments relatifs ces matres ct ces coles, des dates, des photographies familires,
des manuscrits, des livres, des revues ou des objets ivoquant les mouvements litt-
raires, les transformations du got et de la mode qui ont accompagn les mouve-
ments plastiques dont sont prsents ici les tmoignages. Quelques sculptures et
quelques meubles sont, aet l, mls aux peintures. I1 nous semble que lintention
didactique ne doit pas trop tre appuye, niais quelques tmoignages peuvent suffire
indiquer les allusions par lesquelles on donne entendre au visiteur que les ouvrages
de lart ne sont pas des phinomnes isols et arbitraires, quils font partie de len-
semble, ct quc cet ensemble a t notre vie mPme. Le Muse dArt moderne est
Paris, dans le lieu mme o se sont produits les faits plastiques dont il consacre
limportance. Un souvenir, une allusion doivent suffire au visiteur pour quil voque
le site - butte Montmartre, berges de Chatou - qui leur a donn naissance, Dans la
vitrine consaCrCei Maurice Denis, une photographie de celui-ci sur son lit de mort
et revtu de la robe des trinitaires rappelle la foi religieuse qui anima son uvre et
ses thories. Dans la vitrine de Bonnard, quelques estampes japonaises de bazar,
acheties par lartiste dans sa jeunesse, constituent la fois dmouvantes reliques
et soulignent ce que lart de ce temps doit au japonisme. Des numros de la Revzle
Blanche, des programmes du Thtre de l(Euvre reconstituent le climat spirituel o
dkbutkrent Vuillard, Bonnard, Vallotton. Ailleurs, des Guxettes du Bo12Ton, des Ctoffes
de Poiret, rappellent lpoque des Ballets russes. Et dans la salle cubiste, une vitrine
dobjets ngres nous a paru devoir simposer.
Aprs les salles consacres Dunoyer de Segonzac, Charles Uufrne, bref,
la raction de la sensibilit raliste, le visiteur monte lCtage suprieur et poursuit
rhistoire, jallais dire laventure de la peinture moderne, avec les Expressionnistes,
La patellitre, Gromaire, Chagall, 1Ecole de Paris, le Surralisme, la nouvelle raction
rkaliste des Brianchon, Cavaills, Oudot, Chapelain-Midy, le groupe ((Forces nou-
velles)) et enfin les dernires gnrations exposes dans une sallc o les ans sont
Desnoyer et Walch. Une salle, au bout de ce dveloppement, a tt consacre la
RsistaflCe. Enfin, le visiteur se trouve dans un vaste hall, autour du grand escalier:
das cet ensemble monumental on a dispos quelques meubles et objets dcoratifs,
et surtout un certain nombre de tapisseries modernes, dont trois chefs-dcruvre en
bonne place de Marcel Gromaire, J ean Lursat et Marc Saint-Sans.
En descendant cet escalier, le visiteur se retrouve au rez-de-chausse haut, cette
croise des chemins qui soffrait lui son entre. 11lui reste descendre au rez-
de-chausse bas oh sont les galeries de sculpture. Ici encore on a cherche tablir
un classement mthodique, en faisant se succder Pompon, Bourdelle, les sculpteurs
de tradition classique tels que Drivier, Gimond, J ane Poupelet, hfalfray, Wlbrick,
les sculpteurs de tradition acadmique tels que Landowski, Leygue, Sicard, les
sculpteurs qui ont accompagn les rvolutions picturales du cubisme, tels que Lip-
chitz, Laurens, Zadkine, Brancusi, enfin les pIus jeunes tels que Yencesse, Auricoste,
Couturier. Une heureuse lsposition darchitecture a permis de consacrer une sorte
de cella bien claire Despiau.
A ce mme rez-de-chausse, nous retrouvons des salles de peinture qui com-
pltent le schma des deux autres Ctages par la dimonstration du riche foisonnement
de production qui accompagne les volonts de lart moderne franais. Le classement
ici sest fait par Salons, et il montre combien sont fcondcs les doctrines dont on a
pu suivre le flux et le reflux et combien aussi le talent, sous ses formes les plus diverses,
est rpandu dans la production fransaise. Cest cctte production que ks Salons sou-
Escalicr dhonncur autour duquel sont groups des
111eubl~s, ~Crami c~cs, verreries, bijoux et ta~isscries
de J can Lurat, Marccl Gromaire, Raoul Dufy, etc.
The central staircase, around which are grouped
furniture,
by Jeal1 Luryat, Marcel Gromaire, Raoul I hfy, etc.
glass-ware, and
Vitrine documentaire Maurice Denis montrant las-
pect physique du peintre, lambiance dans laquelle
il a travaill6, ses sources dinspiration ct plusieurs
de scs premiers dessins. Des baticks javanais in-
diquent les harmonics dc couleurs chres Maurice
Denis vers 1890.
Maurice Denis documcntaty casc, showing portraits
of the painter, the atmosphere in which he workcd,
sources of his inspiration, and several of his carliest
drawings. J avanese lmtick:~ suggcst colour coinbin-
ations to which Denis was addicted ahout 1890.
tiennent et affirment dans leurs combats de chaque annke, et lhistoire des doctrines
et des mouvements, et de lcurs matres les p1us cklkbres et les pl us dcisifs, serait
incomplkte si lon ne connaissait aussi lhistoire dcs Salons. Le Salon dAutomne ne
cesse, depuis sa fondation, de proposcr une luxuriance de talents qui constituent
la vie mhe, lactivit de lart fransais, toujours neuve, toujours feconde; quil suffise,
pour scn assurer, de nommer des peintres tels que Albert Andr, Cria, Favory,
Gerncz, Lotiron, Cochet, Daragnks, Odette des Garets, Quelve, Savreux, tant
dautres. Lhistoire des Indpendants nest pas moins glorieuse. Le Salon de la Na-
tionale, lors de sa scession, marqua lui aussi une importante date de lhistoire de la
peinture fransaise: une place particulihe a t rserve, dans sa salle, la si intres-
sante ((Bande noire)), cest--dire Charles Cottet, Dauchez, Lucien Simon. Enfin le Salon
des Artistes franais achkve de montrer ltendue du registre sur lequel se sont
drouls les combats spirituels de la fin du XIXe sitcle. Une salle, dans la composi-
tion de laquelle on voudra bien voir plus dattendrissement et de souriante ferveur
que dironie, a i t6 rkserve lpoque 1900, ses meubles, ses modes, meubles et
modes qui ont pris leur place non seulement dans notre souvenir, mais dans lhistoire
objective et scientifique, et y ont jou un rle dtterminant. Ces mmes salles, classes
par Salons , exposent galement des sculptures.
Ainsi avons-nous tir parti dun espace assez malaisment dispos6 et avons-
nous tent6 dexprimer des intentions de classement et de mthode et de faire entendre
une explication de lart moderne, une dmonstration de ses raisons, de ses dveloppe-
ments, de ses tapcs, de ses significations. Mais un muse dart moderne ne saurait
tre seulement un muse, cest--dire un conservatoire. I1 doit aussi participer la vie
qui se fait et suivre lactualit. Cest pourquoi nous avons rserv une de nos galeries
des expositions temporaires, Celle-ci se trouve situe le long de lavenue du Prsi-
dent-Wilson et, par consquent, le visiteur, ds son entrie, y accde directement.
En mme temps, il est facile de lisoler de litinkraire normal du Muse. Notre pro-
gramme des premires expositions temporaires : Chagall, Permeke, Klee, 1Ecolc de
Laethein St-Martin, Suzanne Valadon, Albert Marquet, Wotruba, marque suffisam-
ment nos intentions : celle de rendre hommage quelques grands morts, celle de con-
sacrer quelques importants vivants, franais ou &rangers.
Lentre de la rue de la Manutention donne sur les rserves et les magasins du
sous-sol, Elle a i t conue de faon souvrir aux plus gros camions, qui peuvent
pntrer fort avant lintrieur ct dcharger leur matriel sur les quais. I1y a l de
spacieux emplacements capables dabriter un nombre considkrable de statues, de
meubles, de caisses. Dimportantes rserves conservent sur des panneaux mtalliques
mobiles les toiles appartenant au Muse, non exposes, et grce auxquelles on pcut
se donner un certain jeu de prsentation et renouveler celle-ci. Ces'toilcs en rserve
peuvent Cgaletnent contribuer des expositions circulantes en province, &tre prctes
Salles Albert hlarqucr, Raoul Llufy et Henri Matisse
mcntaires a faire comprendre les (zuvres
au centre desquelles se trouvent des vitrines docu-
-
pour des expositions l'&ranger ou mises en dpt dans les muses de province, les
ambassades, les btiments d'Etat ou municipaux, etc. Un muse d'art moderne
n'est pas un cadre rigide: c'est un centre d'activit.
Les sous-sols renferment tout l'appareil de chauffage, de climatisation et de
ventilation du Muse. Notons enfin que les bureaux de la conservation, situs l'tage
supkrieur, comprennent une bibliothque dans laquelle, outre les livres et les casiers
de fiches, photos, documents, etc. sont rangies dans des cartons les collections de
dessins et de gravures du Muse. Tel qu'il est organis actuellement, celui-ci se rvkle
exposes. A
The Albert Marquet, Raoul Dufy and Henri Matisse
Rooms. I n the ccntrc of rooms are documentary
cases, which help to explain the works displayed.
Strife page 103
THE MUSE D'ART MODE R NE
odern French art was formerly displayed in the Luxembourg. The Luxembourg
was pleasantly situated near the Latin Quarter, and the rooms were well lit. But
thebuilding was inadequate for the purpose. It was realized that France ought to have
* new and spacious museum of modern art, the up-to-date character of which would
show that it was intended to break with the outworn tradition of thc Luxembourg
collection and systeinatically to assemble representative products of the artistic revo-
'utions in France of the last fifty years, which have so strikingly enhanced our coun-
ttp'~ intellectual prestige.
The building which was constructed for this purpose between the Avenue du
ptesident Wilson and the Quai de Tokio (or, as it is to-day, the Quai de New York)
" divided into two buildings, one belonging to the City and the other to the State.
It i s this latter one which has become the Mude National d' Ar t moderne. This
bulding was erected by MM. Dondel, Aubert, Viard and Dastugue for the Arts and
by J E A N C A S S O U
49
Salle rgoo, groupant peintures, sculptures, nicubles
et objets dart 1900.
1900 Room at hhkd Ar l moderne, containing paint-
ings, sculpture, furniture and objets dartof the period.
Sciences ExPositien of 1937. I t was in the part belonging to the State that the famed
Retrospective Exposition of Masterpieces of Prench Art was held on that occasion.
The transfer of the Luxembourg collcction to its new home was prevented by
the war. Several exhibitions wcrc held there after the Liberation, including thc Exhi-
bition of French Tapcstry, and a Unesco Exhibition. When 1 tool over the direction
of the Mzde dArt moderne I applied myself - together with my colleagues and with
the support of the Directors of Arts and J ,etters - of the French Museums - of the
Visual Arts - and of the Museums Board - to expanding the Luxembourg collection
as quickly and as adequately as possible.
We had to show that the former gulf between the State and living art no
longer existed. In opening the Museum, wc had to offer the public a significant selec-
tion of the great artists and movements which in the previous fifty years had illus-
trated and continued to grace French civilization. For this purpose we embarked on
an active purchasing programme. Finally, on I O J une 1947, in the presence of
Minister Pierre Bourdan, the Mzde d A? modeme was opened to the public.
Improvements had been made in the interior arrangement of the Museum, its
lighting, and the shape of its rooms and galleries. Many of the galleries had been too
long, and some of the rooms too large. It is a modern museum principle not to
frighten the visitor by large galleries where the works exhibited arc displayed in
long and tedious rows. There must be intervals, varying emphasis, some sort of
relief. There must also be - except in thc case of certain decorative and spectacular
works - an intimate atmosphere which focuses the attention of the visitor. My col-
leagues and I agreed, therefore, that large spaces should be broken up and altered
by means of compartments and alcoves.
On entering the Museum from the Avenue du Prsident Wilson the visitor
finds himself in a hall containing some notable pieces of sculpture, mostly by Aristide
Maillol. There, he may choose among several directions. The building is constructed
on a slope, and the entrance from the Rue de la Manutention, beneath the level
of the embankment, is lower than that of the Avenue du Prsident Wilson. This
presented a difficult problem for the architects as it still does for the curators. By
means of explanatory panels, gallery floor plans, arrows and other signs, visitors
are given a general notion of the Museum, of the works to be found in the various
rooms, and of the course they may take.
The logical way, and the one recommended to the visitor wishing to cover the
whole Museum, is to begin on the floor where he already finds himself, which is on
a level with the Avenue du Prsident Wilson and is known as the Upper Ground
Floor. He will then turn to the left and visit two separate rooms, one containing the
Divisionists, and the other the Pont-Aven School, together forming a link with
he Impressionist collection belonging to the Louvre and now exhibited in the Jetl
dc paf{fpze. He then enters the large gallery, where, with the Nabis, i. e. Maurice
Denis, Vuillard and Bonnard, the display of modern French painting begins. From
now on, from room to room and gallery to gallery, the visitor is conducted
through the history of this period of painting by way of Fauvism, Cubism, the Nave
sinters, and the Realist tradition. A special place has here been reserved for the great
P .
,-reatlveartists who are the real landmarks : Bonnard, Rouault, Le Fresnaye, Matisse,
Braque and Picasso. We are aware that serious gaps have still to be filled, especially as
regards Dufy.
Circulation here is fortunately well worked out. The visitor who follows it fol-
lows also the chronological sequence of thc masters and their schools. Show-cases,
which have been made as inconspicuous and informal as possible, aid him by dis-
playing documents on these masters and schools, with dates, family photographs, ma-
nUsCriPtS, books, reviews, or other objects reflecting literary movements, and changes
in taste and fashion which have accompanied the artistic movements illustrated here.
n e paintings are interspersed here and there with sculpture and furniture. It is our
view that the educational element should not be overstressed, but that certain repre-
sentative exhibits should suffice to show the visitor that works of art are not isolated
or arbitrary phenomena, but part of a whole, and that this whole is our own con-
temporary life. The Mnse d Ar t moderne is in Paris, the very place where the art
GOtlti#ZfCd$Ug# r a j
MUSOGRAPHI E AU MUSE GUI MET
par PHI L I PPE STERN
e Muse Guimet, Lmdes premiers muses nationaux stre mtamorphos sui-
L vant les principes modernes, a continu et amplifi son effort aprks la guerre : pr-
sentation densemble pour la premire fois dune vaste collection khmkre, place, en
principe, par ordre chronologique, et des dkcouvertes de la dlgation archolo-
gique fransaise en Afghanistan (Mission Hackin, etc.) ainsi que de la mission fran-
aiseen Asie Centrale (Mission Pelliot) ; regroupement et prsentation des collections
dela Chine ancienne jusquau XIIe sicle (bronzes anciens du Louvre, de Guimet
et certains prts de collections particulihres runis); enfin, mise en valeur nouvelle des
collections de lInde, du Siam et des autres contres de lIndochine, de J ava et du
Tibet. Les cramiques et les collections plus rcentes de la Chine et du J apon seront
rkinstalles prochainement.
Nous avons tent dadopter et de perfectionner les nouvelles donnes de muso-
graphie en, fyattt les excs.
Aspect didactipe .- Nous avons voulu viter les indications trop apparentes qui
gnent la vision esthtique des uvres dart, les touffent parfois, et donnent une
facheuse impression scolaire, tout en apportant au visiteur, sous une forme aisment
accessible, les prcisions quil peut dsirer. Do didactime discyet. Exemple : de
longues notices allonges, siir papier du mme ton que le mur, sont places dans lem-
brasure des fentres, Cemimtisme permet ces notices de disparatre dans la con-
templation esthtique des uvres; elles sont cependant porte du regard de ceux
qui les cherchent. Ainsi le visiteur, sans avoir achcter de catalogue, trouve dj
Precisions historiques, explications, plans et cartes, etc.. .. Des catalogues scientifiques
ces indications, ainsi que des guides-catalogues rsums ou dvelopps,
dont une partie est dj en vcnte, qLii apportent Lineinitiation rapide au visiteur non
spdafis& En sous-sol, Line section dhistoire de lart par la photographie doit
PrJeatation des g.zrvre.r dart: I1convient, semble-t-il, dviter aussi bien lexcs
de
que donne un musee trop dgag, avec trop peu duvres dart, des murs
Op et une ambiance de salle dopration (abus assez frquents entre les deux
merres), que lexcs contraire du mus& trop encombr, sombre, touffant.
On Peut, croyons-noL1s, donner au visiteur, sans quil sen rende intellectuelle-
meat
une impression dordonnance, de clart, de bien-tre. La sensation dc
dCsespCrmce quon ressent dans certains muses est due peut-tre au trop grand
nambre duvres non orientes, monotones, juxtaposdes, qui oppressent. Pour don-
--
cet ensemble.
biusir GCIMET
Grande salle - Art khmer. Architecture 1938,
amnagcmcnt 1946.
Eclairage par tubes de verre, disposition des pikes en
triangle, linteaux sur socles i t di nb.
Great Hall - Khmer Art - architccture of 1938 -
arrangement of 1946.
Tubular lighting - Triangular arrangement of exbibits -
Lintels on stands wi t h sloping tops.
ner une ide densemble des arts quil doit reprsentcr et iviter la froideur, cest un
nombre moyen dobjets quexpose le Muse Guimet, en les situant en quelque sorte
sur diffrents plans et ceci sans que des explications soient nccssaires. On y parvient
en plaant sur des socles normaux, et autant que possiblc en position centrale, les
objets les plus marquants - la hauteur des socles tant calcule daprs le meilleur
angle de vision aprks essais - et en les scandant, comme par un rythme, par des objets
moins importants sur les cts et sur des socles plus bas.
On a multipli les groupes de trois pikes places en triangle, celle du centre en
retrait en gnral, parfois en avant, de tellc sorte que ces groupes se composent en en-
sembles pour le visiteur qui les voit dun peu loin, et se &visent quand il sapproche,
chaque pice tant alors contemple seule (voir page 5 2) .
Tout en respectant de prfrence un ordre chronologique ou tout au moins un
groupement par genrc, un effort particulier a t fait par Mlles Auboyer et David
pour obtenir A la fois un relatif isolement des Oeuvres les plus importantes, sans rien
entre elles et le fond que forme le mur, et des ensembles se composant quels que soient
la position du visiteur et les diffrents angles de vision.
La c o d e w des 9mrs a t particulirement tudie afin de ntre ni trop claire ni
trop chaude dune part, car al a nuit aux czuvres dart, ni dautre part trop fonce ni
trop neutre, ce qui attriste et grisaille le muse. On sefforce ainsi dunir des contraires :
le repos et lenveloppement la clart vivante. Le seul ton qui ait sembl pouvoir ri-
pondre ces tendances est un beige-ocr, trs lgrement ros, pour la plus grande
partie du muse (sauf pour les cramiques) et teint diffremment daprs les lieux,
la lumikre extrieure modfiant compltement la couleur employe. Les principaux
objets se dtachent autant que possible sur ce mur, scands et encadrs par exemple
par deux photographies.
Socles: Les socles sont en bois naturel, non vernis et non cir pour viter tout
ce quiirisque de jaunir. I;e bois a t choisi parmi les moins jaunes et ceux dont la
couleur se rapproche de celle des murs. On a ajout6 un trs lger teintage sous forme
de ctrusage non blanc mais trs lgrement rosi. Ce crusage doit passer en somme
inaperu, tuer simplement ce qui peut demeurer de jauntre dans le bois et permettre
ainsi aux socles de sharmoniser avec les murs tout en gardant leur aspect de bois
naturel avec veines visibles. Dans des cas exceptionnels (Muse Labit de Toulouse,
orgadsk par le Muse Guimet), quand il a fallu vraiment peindre les socles, on a choisi
-dement la couleur du mur (ou, pour tre plus prcis, une teinte peine plus
foncbe que cedernier, de faon peser, mais sans que le visiteur saperoive de cette
affkrence). Le rsultat donne un ensemble de couleur cnveloppante et claire o,
seules, les pices viennent en avant. Lencaustique du parquet a t teinte trs lg-
rement en rose pour viter que sa couleur trop jaune ne vienne heurter lensemble.
Bien entendu, les plafonds, tout en tant beaucoup plus clairs, sont peints dans la
m$me gamme que les murs, et non pas en blanc.
La forme des socles a t simplifie au maximum, en vitant cependant, par des
adins, la trop grande scheresse. Tout nouveau socle a t naturellement compos
g
en fonction de la pice prsenter: hauteur et importance.
pour les linteaux darchitect~re, on a employ anprocd spcial les exposant hauteur
de vue, inclins, sur pupitres. Les rtablir en effet leur hauteur vritable aurait
nk,-essit une fausse architecture toujours trs dangereuse. Les placer droits et plus
bas les dformait et aplatissait, car ils ont t conus pour &re vus par en-dessous.
Linclinaison a t calcule de faon les prsenter hauteur de vue et rtablir
cependant langle de vision voulu par lartiste (voir page 5 2) .
vj*jnes: Un systme de vitrines a kt labor sur les indications du Muse Gui-
met : avant de la vitrine glissant sur doubles patins permettant louverture presque
totale, et vitant toute barre mtallique de skparation dans la partie avant de la
vitrine. Les fonds de vitrine (jute, chanvrc) ont t particulirement tudies ainsi que
ladisposition des tablettes, rythmes comme pour la prsentation des grandes pices.
Deax cjairages spciaax ont t tents. Lun est de J oseph Hackin. I1 consistc,
dans la salle Coral-Rmusat entirement consacre au style khmr du Bayon et au sou-
rire mystique dit ((Sourire dAngkor)), placer les ttes la file, scandes par les ttes
plus grandes, en les ayant fait pivoter lgrement, de faon quc lclairage des fen-
tres leur arrive jour frisant, dveloppant ainsi leur expression (voir page 52) .
Le deuxime essai est d notre architecte, M.Nicod, qui, ayant couvrir un an-
cien jardin au centre du Muse, sest trouv forc dtablir une salle avec clairage par
lehaut (voir page 5 2) . Un systme de tuiles de verre, qui assure une protection relative
contre le chaud et le froid, laisse cependant passer suffisamment de clart pour que la
lumire (dont les rayons ultra-violets sont bannis) varie cependant selon les heures du
jour, donnant des ombres lgres qui rappellent ainsi lclairage original de ces d-
cors darchitecture destins tre vus en plein air.
Pour les encadrements, signalons galement diverses tentatives.
Un encadrement, dont linvention est due Mme Bolette Nathanson, permet de
Prksenter les photographies avec dpassant de verre transparent jouant le rle dun
-+@partout. Ce cadre, dont linconvnient est dtrc fragile, habille en quelque
aorte la photographie tout en lui laissant une extrme lgret et une sorte de com-
munication avec le mur.
un autre essai rcent dencadrement est destin aux peintures se rattachant
pesthetique de la fresque. Cest un encadrement en baguette renverse profil tudi
raccordant au mur pour que les uvres se trouvent isoles par un mince filet et
qudes fassent, toutefois, corps avec le mur. La peinture est, de plus, portde en avant,
@Burant ainsi la scuritd contre lhumidit. Par prudence, de trs lgers taquets de
&e garantissent laration derrire les aeuvres les plus dtjlicatcs. Les bois dc ces
sont du bois naturel pcine teint, comme lcs socles, pour les faire communi-
quer avec le mur. Enfin, pour les grands cadres, on a tent de les peindre exactement
hf csf ~ G ~ m m
au ton du mur Bronzes chinois anciens. Artanacments 1947.
-.
Ltminositd tumife - nombre ef clisposztro?i des pikes.
Sgl i t l ed LQhting - number of exhibib and urrangement.
pow les tiqaettu, le procd du Louvre a t adopt pour les objets principaux : Ancient Chinese bronzes as arranged in rg47.
une matire transparente, analogue au verre dpoli (rhodode, je crois) avec lcttres
faites a la main, sombres mais non noires. Dune manire gnrale, nous avons t
fmPPes de voir combien ICs tons sombrcs, mais non noirs, sont prfirables car ils
-chent tout en restant dans la gamme de lenvironnement. Cest ainsi quc pour
les brOnzes verts, des etiquettes fond noir ayant t tenttjes, ce ton venait heurter
. msemble, alors quun vcrt-bouteille trs sombre, et dapparence noir pour le visi-
- 3 Shar-monisait avec les bronzes.
Pour les ticpettes trop nombreuses ou dont le texte est trop long, nous avons
iLtaonce a l'triture la niain, peu lisible, pour revenir aux caractres-machine sur
hier dun ton sacco~.daflt autant quc possible aux murs ou aux fonds des vitrines.
h,.
53
MUSfiE GUIhfET
Salle Coral Rmusat - Art khmtr, style du Bayon
(fin du XIIe sikcle, dCbut du XIIIe).
Disposition des ttes j our frisant; socles.
Coral Rmusat Room - Khmcr Art - Bayon style
(end of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth
centuries).
Arrangement of heads lighted oblique&; stands.
ActiviteJ annexes - Le Muse Guimet nest pas seulement un muse. I1possde
une bibliothque de plus de 40. o00 volumes, remarquable instrument de travail. A
cette bibliothque sont jointes des archives photographiques o se trouvent non
seulement une collection presque complte des photographies archologiques dIn-
dochine, mais des collections de nombreuses photographies archologiques choisies
des Indes, de J ava, de Chine, du J apon, etc .... Ces archives photographiques forment
ainsi un ensemble que nous croyons unique. Elles permettent, par exemple, un travail
comme celui que nous avons entrepris rcemment pour notre cours 1Ecole du
Louvre : tude compare des motifs de lart lrhmr son apparition et de leurs proto-
types indiens. De nombreux diapositifs classes sont la disposition des confrenciers.
Le Muse Guimet a galement une section musicale. I1dite diverses collections
(Bibliothque dEtudes, tudes et documents dart ct darchologie, Bibliothque
de Diffusion, etc ....) et fait connatre ces ouvrages par des changes avec les biblio-
thques trangres. Le Muse Guimet est enfin le sige de lAssociation franqaise des
Amis de lOrient qui, avec sa bibliothque de prts domicile, ses confkrences, pr-
sentations de danses, sances musicales, etc.... forme le lien entre le Muse et le
public non spcialis qui veut connatre les civilisations dExtrme-Orient. Des con-
frences sont aussi organises par le Muse Guimet lui-mme ainsi, exceptionnclle-
ment, que des manifestations destines un public plus vaste, loccasion par
exemple de son cinquantenaire : courtes et nombreuses confrences-promenades r-
ptes toute la journe travers toutes les galeries et accompagnes dun spectacle
continu dans la salle de confrences (visite dun monument grce aux projections
photographiques, musique extrme-oricntale et prsentation de danses traditionnelles
de ces pays).
MUSEOGRAPHY AT THE MUSE GUI MET
by PHI L I PPE STERN
54
he Mme Gmhet, which was one of the first of our National Museums to be re-
T organized on modern lines, has continued and developcd its work since the war
with the exhibition, for the first time as a whole of a large Khmer collection
arranged, as far as possible, in chronological order; objects discovered by the French
Archaeological Expeditions to Afghanistan (the Hackin Missions, etc,) and to Central
Asia (the Pelliot Expedition); the rearrangement and exhibition of collections
of ancient Chinese art up to the twelfth Century (old bronzes from the Louvre
and the Md e Guimet with loans from private collections) - and, finally, with a new
and improved display of specimens from India, Siam and other regions in Indo-
China, J ava and Tibet. The pottery exhibits and Chinese and J apanese collections of
later date will shortly be re-installed.
We have tried to adopt and perfect the latest ideas in museography, but tried at
the same time l o avoid exaggeration.
EdHcational aspect
Our purpose here was twofold : to supply the visitor, in easily accessible form,
with the information he is likely to require; and to avoid too obvious labels, which
are apt to interfere with, and even destroy, the aesthetic effect of works of art and
Createan unfortunate classroom atmosphere. Unobtrusive instrz/ction was therefre the
For example, notices on long strips of paper of the same colour as the wall have
been placed in window-recesses, Their protective colouring makes it possible
for these notices to be ignored when exhibits are being viewed as works of art, but
they are within sight of anyone looking for them. Thus, without having to buy a
catalogue, the visitor is supplied with historical details, explanations, plans and maps,
etc. This information is supplemented by scientific catalogues and guide-books, in
full or summary form, giving the non-specialist visitor a brief introduction to the
subject; some of these are already on sale. To complete these arrangements, a section
illustrating the history of art through photographs is to be installed in the basement.
Display of works of arf
We believe that every effort should be made to avoid both the frigidity of a
museum which is too empty, having too few exhibits, its walls too white and the
atmosphere of an operating theatre (such mistakes were fairly frequent between the
two wars), and the opposite extreme of an overcrowded, dark and stuffy museum.
We think it is possible to give the visitor a sub-conscious impression of order,
light and well-being. The feeling of despair which assails one in certain museums is
possibly due to the aggressive effect of too many exhibits of the same kind crowded
togethcr. In order to give a general idea of the art exhibited, and to avoid an im-
pression of coldness, the Muse Guiniet shows a moderate number of pieces,
arranging them, as it were, on different levels but so that no explanation is necessary.
This is achieved by placing the most important objects on ordinary pedestals and,
wherever possible, in central positions - the height of the pedestal is designed after
experiments, to give the best angle of vision - set off in a sort of rhythm by the less
important items which are arranged at the sides and on lower stands.
We have placed many groups of three works of sculpture in a triangle, with the
central one generally set back, thozigb sometimes forward; in this way they form an ensemble
when seen from a little way off, but become separate as the visitor draws near, so
that he can then examine each object independently. (see page 5 2).
While adhering as a rule to chronological order, or at least to arrangement by
groups, Mlles Auboyer and David have made a special effort to display the most
important works more or less by themselves, with nothing between them and the
Wall behind them, arranging groups which preserve their harmony wherever the
visitor is standing and from whatever angle he looks at them.
co1ozir ~f the walls
This was very carefully considered, to ensure that it should be neither too light
nor too colourful, which would detract from the effect of the works of art; neither too
dark nor too neutral, which would make the museum gloomy and depressing. We
have thus tried to combine two opposites - a restful setting with cheerful light.
The only tint which seemed suitable for this purpose was an ochreous beige, slightly
tinged with pink, to be used for most of the museum (except the Ceramic Section),
the shade varying according to the orientation of the rooms, as the light outside
alters the character of the colour. As far as possible, nothing is allowed
to
with the visitors view of the principal objects standing against this
wdl-colour, flanked and set off, for example, by two photographs.
&deftah
The pedestals arc made of natural wood, without varnish or polish, in order
to avoid any tendency toward yellow. The least yellow woods, of a colour resembling
that of the walls, were chosen, and given a thin coating of palest pink, which,
being immediately wiped, remains only in the vein of the wood. This is intcnded
to remove any tendency to yellow in the wood, so that the pedestals harmonize
with the walls and still look like natural wood. I n exceptional cases (at the M.de
Labit at Toulouse, which was arranged by the Miide Grimet) when it was really
, necessary to paint the pedestals, the exact colour of the walls was chosen (or, to be
more precise, a slightly darker tone than the wall-colour, so that the pedestals can be
given due weight without the visitor being conscious of any difference). The
result gives a light background-colour, against which the objects stand out, The
floor-polish is also very slightly tinted with pink to ensure that its colour is not
so yellow as to interfere with the general effect. The ceilings, of course, have not
been painted white but in the same range of colours as the walls, though much
lighter.
The pedestals are as simple as possible in design but taper at the top in a
step-formation to soften their austerty. Each new pedestal was specially made in re-
lation to the height and importance of specimens.
A special 95tenz has been used to display architectz/rcll lintels set on pedestals at
eye-level and slightly sloping. If they had been placed at their natural height, an
artificial architectural setting would have been necessary, and this is always very
dangerous. If they had been placed lower, but standing upright, they would have been continued puse r o i
ORGANI SATI ON GNRALE DES MUSES DE PROVI NCE
par J E A N v E R G N E T - R U I 2 histoire des collections de la Couronne, auxquelles ont succd les muses natio-
L naux, est assez connue si lhistoire nen a pas encore t compltement et objec-
tivement crite. I1nen va pas de mme des trs nombreux muses rpandus dans
tout le pays et dont le nombre, petits et grands, est suprieur neuf cents. Leur
origine, leur formation sont affairc dkrudits locaux, ct parfois tout fait oublies. La
crkation ou lenrichissement dun nombre dtermin de muses, le 14 fructidor, an
VI11 (I~oo), et quelques mesures complmentaires douze ans plus tard sont les
premiers actes gouvernementaux prcis qui sanctionnent une existence de fait. De
longues recherches dans les fonds darchives, et surtout lcriture dune histoire du
mcnat dont il est Ctrange quaucun esprit nait encore entrepris chez nous ltude,
permettraient sans doute encore de prciser lcs circonstances qui, dPs le dbut du 1 9 e
sicle, et sur de rares points auparavant, mirent la disposition du public lquivalent
dcs anciens cabinets damateurs (dont plus dune fois les muses prirent la suite) en
mme temps quelles assurrent la conservation pour les gnrations futures des
tmoignages de lart et de lhistoire des gnrations prcdentes. I1est remarquable
quaprs les dp6ts et les dati ons du Consulat le silence soit aussi complet, ou peu
sen faut, quauparavant sur lexistence et le dveloppement des collections publiques.
La cration du service des monuments historiques les ignore dlibrtment, et si Vitet
ou Mrime eurent dans leurs attributions la surveillance dcs bibliothkques et des
archives en mme temps que des cathdrales, ils ne furent pas chargs des muses.
Cest Vitet, semble-t-il, qui, dans un rapport Guizot paru en 1831, leur tendit pour
la premire fois la curiosit officielle; dans ce rapport de 1 1 5 pages sur les dparte-
ments de lOise, de lAisne, de la Marne, du Nord et du Pas-de-Calais, il en consacre
trois ou quatre aux muses (quil se borne pcu prs citer) et aux objets dart de ces
dpartements o il ne vit que cinq villes possdant des collections: Lille, Douai,
Valenciennes, Arras et Boulogne. En 1837, la commission des monuments histo-
riques sintressa, en donnant des ((secours D, cinq muses jugs par elle dignes din-
trt: Orlans, Narbonne, Besanon, Moulins et Vienne. En I 843, elle sintressa dune
manikre efficace lachat et la prservation des collections du Sommerard lhtel
(depuis, le muse) de Clunyz. Mais cest cela que se bornera, ou peu prs, latten-
tion de 1Etat aux musCes non nationaux. Mrime par exemple semble stre tenu la
Charte des monuments historiques sans sloigner du cadre de ses attributions.
Pendant ce temps, les muses se multipliaient. Le rgne de Louis-Philippe en vit
clore de tous les cts, fruits de la bonne volont ou de la vanit municipales, et sur-
tout de la gnrosit damateurs et de lintrt pour le pass des socits savantes de
cf. in Mouseiow- SuPpln1ent no 106. v.
A, Lenoir: Lc muse des Thermes et lh6tcl de
1946.
Cluny, 1882.
56
rovince qui, se multipliant alors, reurent des dons dobjets et de collections parti-
P
cufikres, point de dpart de tant de muses actuels. On ninsistera jamais assez dans
phistoire des collections publiques sur le rle de ces petits noyaux de chanoines, de
hobereaux et de notaires cultivs, embrass par lamour de leur province. Le mou-
vement se continua sous Napolon III. Aucune prescription publique ne veillait
et la permanence des btiments ni des collections, mais les traditions
dordre et dadministration de la vieille France subsistaient encore. Presque toujours
de beaux inventaires calligraphis des collections taient dresss, des catalogues
paraissaient; laisance gnrale du pays aidait btir des immeubles destination de
muses, construits A laide de fonds dorigines les plus diverses (parfois dune loterie,
Amiens) avec lencouragement dune opinion claire trs friande alors
dantiquits nationales et de curiosits historiques. La cassette prive des souverains,
quelques subventions dEtat agirent, mais sans programme prcis, en faveur de
plusieurs muses sur lesquels des interventions diverses avaient attir lattention. I1
en Serade mme entre 1871 et 1914, les gnrosits de 1Etat se manifestant surtout
par une part assez lectorale prise des constructions souvent voyantes, et par la
distribution dOeuvres dart allant de la collection Campana enleve du Louvre et dis-
perse travers toute la France, jusquaux envois parfois massifs de copies ou dachats
des Salons, gnralement encombrants et mdiocres. A la sparation, YEtat favorisa
plusieurs installations de muses dans les vchs dsaffects, cette destination noble
pouvant, dans une certaine mesure, adoucir lhumeur des fidles.
Mais, en mme temps, la sollicitude municipale smoussait, les crdits samenui-
saient, lactivit et le rle des socits savantes commensaient diminuer dune
manire sensible. Aux chanoines et notaires rudits, conservateurs bnvoles, suc-
&aient des personnalits que, trop souvent, rien ne qualifiait pour remplir des fonc-
tions rmunres au hasard des gnrosits locales ou des amitis municipales. La
mauvaise volont, lignorance, firent vite sentir leurs pernicieux effets ; la tenue des
inventaires fut nglige, les anciens registres disparurent, les catalogues cesskrent de
paratre, Aucune arme rglementaire ni lgale ne permettait dagir. La situation tait
assez exactement cclle dcrite par M. J ean Verrier pour les objets dart; mais les
lois obtenues par M. Frantz Marcou en leur faveur, des 1901, neurent pas leur qui-
valent pour les collections musographiqucs.
Le 24 juillet 1910, un dcrets sintressait aux muses de province, mais sim-
plement pour rgler le dpt des Oeuvres dart appartenant 1Etat. Les malheurs de
la guerre dans les dpartements du Nord, et le contre-coup dans tout le pays des
CvCnements de 1914-191 8, prcipitrent un tat trs fcheux; hormis certaines villes
oh des traditions librales lgard du muse permirent den continuer lentretien,
on seffraiede voir comment, peu prs partout, sinstallrent en quelques annes le
dksordre, la ngligence et parfois davantage, surtout lorsquun conservateur fidle
aux traditions et aux devoirs de sa charge ne sopposait pas lexode des Oeuvres vers
dautres btiments et lempitement (tellement gntralis depuis) de services divers
qui semparaient des salles. Un muse parfaitement entretenu et prsent tait une
exception; on citerait peu dexemples, la veille de la dernire guerre, comparables
a Ceux de Strasbourg ou dAvignon parmi les grands, de Chlon-sur-Sane, Hyres
OU Moulins parmi les moins importants. Le bel entretien de Nice, de Rouen, la bril-
lante prsentation dAlbi, la transformation de Beauvais, de Montpellier, celle de
SOUS laction de Focillon, les efforts ingaux en faveur de la peinture moderne
a *gen, Belfort, Grenoble, Le Hiivre, faisaient peu prs tout ce quon pouvait
reCoander doriginal ou de srieux aux amateurs. A peine lcs nouveaux conser-
vateurs de Dijon ou du muse lorrain de Nancy sattaquaient-ils A la rnovation de
leurs tablissements, dont on peut dire quils Ctaient jusque-l simplement bien entre-
tenus mais encombrs de mdiocrits et prsents sans mthode, ce qui tait encore
lecas dAmiens, de Lille, de Besanon, ou du muse des Beaux-Arts de Nancy oh
le local avait cependant t trs soigneusement remis en tat. Mais, sans citer de noms,
que dire dautres grandes villes oh seule la poussire empchait de voir, au milieu de
biles
valeur, quun pur chef-duvre tait crev, mal rpar, ou repeint dune
Son lamentable, trop souvent par les soins du conservateur$.
De catalogue presque pas, dinventaires moins encore. Trop heureux si de persis-
recherches permettaient toujours de retrouver, exil dans les bureaux dc lh6-
Ou trnant au salon de la sous-prefecture, le tableau dont le titre allchait dans
--
.-
1 Cong. archol. de France, Paris, 1936, I,
3 /ournal Ofjciel du 7 dkccmbre, p. 8299.
8 Paul Vitry (cf, MouXeion, 3c anne, p. 287),
conservateur des sculptures du Louvre que laques-
tion des collections provinciales intressait bcau-
coup, proposait en 1912 de les nationaliser pour
remkdier ii leur Ctat trop souvent fhcheux, cn sap-
puyant sur le fait que laplupart de leurs euvres prk-
cieuses snnt dcs dpts de lEtat.
P. 425 sq.
57
.
On sait qua dinfimcs exceptions pds, tout cc
qui comptait duvres dart importantes a t sauv
par les mesures si prcises de laDirectiondesMuses,
dks le dbut des hostiliths.
a LAngleterre (cf. Mouseion v. 1946) doit avoir
obi A des proccupations du mtme ordre en crant
ses fedrations regionales et lassociation britannique
des muses.
3 Cf. Pellati, in Mouseion, 1932.
4 Cf. Anonyme, in Muuseion, 1932, no 19.
Orangc 1931 et Carnavalet 1933.
Suite paeye I OJ
les pages des ((Guides bleus)). Pas trs loin de Paris, un muse des plus riches, am-
nag et enrichi avec amour par un conservateur du Louvre, membre de lInstitut et
grand crivain dart, se vit aprs lui dcroch et ses tableaux furent classs par ordre
alphabtique dauteur.
Les quelques passages de ces inspecteurs peu prs bnvoles qutaient les
conservateurs des muses nationaux, permirent certains soins, firent retirer en carton
des dessins que le soleil rongeait, conseiller des restaurations, modifier sur les cartels
des attributions errones ou excessives. Mais quinze ou vingt muses par an rece-
vaient peut-tre une visite, au demeurant absolument dsarme pour agir et ne
pouvant compter que sur la persuasion.
Enfin, et surtout, on ne peut se dissimuler que le niveau des conservateurs allait
toujours se dgradant. I1serait intressant de rechercher les causes profondes de tant
de dcadence, dont lecorollaire fut le manifeste dsintressement du public pour des
muses tristes et sans signification. Pour labaissement du recrutement, les raisons
taient certaines : dune part, lamiti, politique ou autre, donnait ces emplois comme
de petites prbendes ou des distinctions locales, mais surtout, dautre part, labsence
gnrale de rtribution dtournait absolument de cette carrire les jeunes gens de
mrite. Les conditions conomiques postrieures 191 8 supprimrent les loisirs des
amateurs cultivs et dvous; en dehors de quelques villes oil se conservrent des
traditions de respect pour les arts, le conservateur ne recevait pas un traitement lui
permettant de vivre. Les postes tombrent petit petit aux mains de ceux qui en vou-
lurent bien, souvent par dvouement souvent aussi par vanit, sans que leurs con-
naissances dhistoire de lart ou de musographie fussent en rapport avec les fonctions
assumes.
Les varits dorigine des collections et de proprit des muses compliquent
le problme, La plupart sont municipaux, dautres dkpartementaux, dautres appar-
tiennent des collectivits diverses (socits savantes, hpitaux, facults, fondations,
etc...). I1y en a de privs ou de semi-privs; il en est mme dont il est bien difficile
de prciser le statut, la limite de lintrt public et de lexploitation commerciale.
Pas dobligations dentretien ou dinalinabilit inscrites dans les lois. La jurispru-
dence est faite darrts de la Cour de Cassation trop souvent mconnus. L-dessus
vint la catastrophe de 1940, la destruction des btiments, la dispersion de trop de
collections1, tout le cortge des malheurs de la guerre, et loccupation quasi-
systmatique de locaux jugs inutiles ou somptuaires par des services municipaux
et autres, sans avoir toujours lexcuse des circonstances. I1 nest pas excessif dcrire
que les ordonnances prises linstigation de M. J acques J aujard ont t providen-
tielles.
Certes on ne saurait prtendre ces textes dfinitifs, affirmer quil ny aurait pas
avantage les prciser et les complter sur plus dun point. Dans lexpos des motifs
qui prckde lordonnance du 13 juillet 1945, il est fait dailleurs allusion des textes
plus complets venir. Mais, en dpit de certaines imperfections rvles par lusage
ils constituent un outil i nfi ment prcieux, dont lexistence est par elle-mme un
bienfait. On peut en esprer un retournement complet de la situation parfois lamen-
table, un remde au manque de coordination qui rgnait jusque-l* et une amlio-
ration ncessaire de la formation professionnelle des conservateurs.
Leur rdaction navait gure de modeles dont elle pt sinspirer. A ltranger on
ne voit citer que la mesure administrative rendant les inventaires des muses lga-
lement obligatoires en Italie3 et les principes de rorganisation des muses sovitiques
aprs leur nationalisation, dont la promulgation et la codification demeurent assez
vagues.
En France, la fondation de lAssociation des Conservateurs de Collections pu-
bliques en 1919 (par MM. Guey, Roule, Veyssire et Vitry) a rendu manifeste lin-
trt port au problme, en mme temps quelle tait loccasion pour beaucoup de
conservateurs de montrer, assez confusment encore, leur desir dun statut. Ses deux
expositionss des chefs-dceuvres des muses de province eurent un vrai retentissement.
LAssociation des Amis des Muses de Province, dirige par A. S. Henraux, offre
son actif quelques remises en tat limites mais intressantes.
Le Journal Officiel du 14 dcembre 1932 publiait la cration, au sous-secrtariat
dEtat des Beaux-Arts, dune commission dite des muses dpartementaux et muni-
cipaux. Elle devait procder toutes enqutes et tudes sur la situation de ces muses
he history of the Royal collections, which have been succeeded by the National
T Museums, is fairly well known, although no complete and objective account of
them has yet been written. The same is not true of the very large number of museums
throughout the country and of which, including both small and Iarge, there
are more than nine hundred. Their origin and growth are known only to local
scholars and have sometimes been quite forgotten. The institution or further
endowment of a certain number of museums on the 14 Fructidor, Year VI11 (1800)~
and Some additional measures twelve years later, are the first official and specific
government recognition of an already existing state of affairs, Lengthy research among
the archives, and in particular, the writing of a history of patronage of the arts (it is
curious that no one in our country has yet undertaken this) would probably throw
fight on the circumstances in which, from the beginning of the nineteenth century,
and on rare occasions before that, the equivalent of the old private collections (which
i n more than one instance were later converted into museums) was put at the dis-
position of the public and the preservation of representative specimens of the art
and the history of earlier generations was ensured for posterity. I t is strange that
after the dissemination of works on loan and the creation of various institutions under
the Consulate, information regarding the existence and development of public
collections should be as scanty, or nearly so, as before, When the Ancient Monuments
Department was set up, mention of these collections was deliberately omitted, and
although the duties of Vitet and Mrime included the supervision of libraries and
archives as well as cathedrals, they were not responsible for museums. I t was
apparently Vitet who, in a report to Guizot in 1831, showed the first sign of official
curiosity about them; of the I I 5 pages in this report, dealing with the Departments
of the Oise, the Aisne, the Marne, the Nord and the Pas-de-Calais, he devoted three
or four to the museums (doing little more than mention their names) and to the
works of art to be found in those Departments; he recorded only five towns with
collections : Lille, Douai, Valenciennes, Arras and Boulogne. I n 1837, the Ancient
Monuments Commission intervened to assist five museums which it considered
worthy of interest: Orleans, Narbonne, Besanon, Moulins and Vienne. I n 1843, the
Commission gave useful assistance in the purchase and conservation of the Sommerard
collections at the Hotel de Cltln_y (later the Cluny Museum)B. Those were, however,
almost the only examples of government interest in museums other than the great
national ones; Mrimbe, for instance, seems to have kept to the terms of the Ancient
Monuments Charter and not to have exceeded his functions under it.
Meanwhile, the number of museums was increasing; in Louis Philippes reign
they sprang up everywhere, as the result of the public spirit or vanity of town
councils and, particularly, of the generosity of private collectors and the interest in
the past shown by provincial learned societies, which were then increasing in number
and receiving gifts of specimens and private collections, which formed the nucleus
of Somany of our present-day museums. I n the history of the public collections it is
impossible to over-emphasize the part played by these little groups of canons,
country gentlemen and cultured notaries, filled with a passionate love of their pro-
vhx. The movement continued under Napoleon III. There were no official regu-
lations to ensure that buildings and collections were preserved and maintained but
the old French traditions of orderly management were still alive; in almost every
instance fine manuscript inventories of the collections were drawn up and catalogues
were published; the general prosperity of the country encouraged the erection of
to house m seums with funds derived from many different sources (some-
through a lottery, as at Amiens) and with the support of an enlightened public
pinion then displaying a great taste for the national antiquarian heritage and histori-
cal curiosities. The Privy Purse of the Crown and some government grants benefited
several museums which had come to attention in various ways but there was no
Programme of assistance. The position was similar from 1871 to 1914, oficial
generosity taking the form mainly of co-operation, for political reasons, in ambitious
building-Programmes and of the distribution of works of art (ranging from the dis-
persal of the Campana Collection which was removed from the Louvre, throughout
France, to the despatch, sometimcs in large consignments, of copies of paintings or
Pictures Purchased from the Salons, which were generally cumbersome and of little
At the time of the Disestablishment the government encouraged the
Y
GENERA L
OR GA N I ZA T I ON OF
THE PROV I NCI A L
M U SE U M S
by J E A N V ERGNET - RUI Z
1 Sec note in Mouseion Supplement No. 106 V.
2 A. Lenoir: L e t n d e des Thermes et IHbtel d e
1946.
Cluny, 1882.
59
installation of several museums in the bishops palaces which were secularized, as the
fact that the buildings were put to such a worthy use might to some extent reconcile
the faithful to the change,
At the same time, however, the interest of the town councils began to flag, funds
became exhausted and the activity and influence of the learned societies became ap-
preciably less. The canons and learned notaries who had acted as voluntary curators
were succeeded by people who only too often had no qualifications for the work and
were paid on an unsystematic basis depending on local generosity or the town
councils interest. The bad effects of carelessness and ignorance soon made themselves
felt; the maintenance of the inventories was neglected, the old records were lost and
catalogues were no longer published. There were no regulations or legal provisions
for action to be taken. The position was almost exactly the samep that of works of
art, as described by M. J ean Verrier, but the laws which M. Frantz Marcou was suc-
cessful in getting passed in 1901 to protect works of art were not matched by similar
laws to protect museum collections.
On 24 J uly a decree* dealing with provincial museums was passed but it was
merely concerned with regulating the loan of collections of works of art belonging
to the State. The sufferings inflicted by the war in the northern regions of the country
and the effects of the events of 1914 to 1718 everywhere in the country, brought
about a most unfortunate state of affairs; except in certain towns, where interest in the continued page 106
Premiers esJais de restitution exacte des appartements
historiper dune amenne oefitetrre de la Cozronne
CHTEAU DE COMPI ~I GNE
es vnements de la fin du XVIIIe sicle, le dlaissement au cours du XIXe de
L diverses demeures de la Couronne et la chute des dynasties, ont rendu sans usage
plusieurs chteaux dont la plupart ont t affects des muses, pour en prserver
les mrites artistiques et permettre au public la visite de lieux clbres o svoque
le souvenir dvnements importants de lhistoire du pays.
La cration du MufeHmfranpis Versailles, dont lexistence fut si brve, puis
lappropriation de ce chteau par Louis-Philippe en un muse (( toutes les gloires de
la France)), sont les seuls exemples de choix dun programme dtermin. Partout
ailleurs, les portes furent ouvertes la curiosit sans quait t dtermin auparavant
un programme de prsentation susceptible de donner une leon au visiteur ou de
fixer pour lavenir le cadre exact de lexistence des souverains, de la vie de la Cour ou
des faits historiques qui se droulrent dans ces rsidences. Le classement remontant
i I 848, sur linitiative de MrimCe, des anciennes rsidences royales, navait malheu-
reusement rien prvu pour les dcors intrieurs, et si le Second Empire fut remar-
quablement respectueux des dispositions anciennes, malgr la ncessit de lhabitation
par les nouveaux souverains, il nen fut pas de mme aprks sa chute o le pillage
administratif se dveloppa sous lil indiffrent des pouvoirs publics et des historiens
de lart. Carrires de mobilier pour les btiments civils et les grandes administrations,
les anciens chteaux de la Couronne furent petit petit vids de presque tout ce qui
constituait le cadre officiel ou intime de lexistence des chefs de 1Etat. Le mobilier
demeur sur place fut le plus souvent transport dans des salles auxquelles il ntait
pas destin, tandis que la place libre tait occupe, sans autre plan prcis que le souci
du meilleur coup dail possible, par des meubles dmods encombrant le mobilier
national, le trop-plein de grands muses, ou les productions sans emploi des manu-
factures dEtat. Parfois, un objet de valeur tait apport de la sorte sous les yeux du
public, mais sans quon chercht lui donner une signification prcise et simplement
pour garnir un salon vide. Tout ce composite se voyait group, dfait, dplac et
regroup au hasard du got des administrateurs ou des conservateurs, dun pr-
lvement imprvu, dun nouvel apport. Bien plus, en retirant au public la vue dob-
jets jugs de qualit secondaire ou ne sharmonisant pas les uns avec les autres, on fit
des dcors de thtre selon le got du temps, plus Lattis X VI ou PremierEnzpire quils
ne lavaient jamais t, mais dans le sens o lentendent des tapissiers de grande classe.
Lhistoire vraie du got en fut toute travestie et compltement fausse la notion du
public sur le cadre des anciens souverains. Le rattachement aux muses nationaux, en
I 926, de Compigne et de Fontainebleau, ballotts auparavant entre diffrents minis-
par J EA N VERGNET- RUI Z
.
Congrf arrhiolo,gque de France, Paris, 1936, I,
2 Journal Of l ci eI of 7 December, 1910, p. 8299.
pp. 425 et seq.
GO
dres, dont les Travaux Publics, en tant que btiments civils, fit cesser au moins par-
tiellement les fuites, mais sans que ft encore cherch remde ltat des choses.
Les premires tentatives de mettre de lordre dans les bouleversements du XIXe
sitcle eurent lieu Versailles plus favoris, car il avait toujours dpendu de la Direc-
tion des Muses. Pierre de Nolhac dplora le mal dont ses travaux mesurrent lten-
due, mais en dehors de la remise leur vraie place de statues des jardins et de pein-
tures de 1% galerie de Trianonf, il ne tenta pas la rforme que sa grande autorit lui
aurait permis de faire aboutir. Aprs lui, M. Andr Prat, et surtout Gaston Brire,
avec bonheur replacer plusieurs peintures que Louis-Philippe avait
exiles en province pour y substituer des gloireJ de la Francea. Aucun effort parallle ne
fut tent en faveur du mobilier. De leur ct, les monuments historiques tentrent
aussi la restitution dun ensemble lorsque Danis remit en place les peintures de la
chapelle de 1Ecole militaire - mais en laissant lautel dans lglise voisine de Saint-
Pierre du Gros-Caillou. On stonne de cette indiffrence officielle lgard des plus
beaux tmoins de la vie du pass, tandis que lesprit public avait davantage tendance
en sens contraire, comme si 1Etat tait hostile au souci de limmutabilit
des choses, si cher aux donateurs particuliers. Que ce soient le duc dAumale en lguant
Chantilly, Madame Andr, par les considrants de son testament, les frres Bony
Bordeaux, M. de Camondo, la plupart indiquaient leur volont formelle de voir
consemer, dans une jalouse intgrit, laspect exact des demeures quils donnaient
aprts eux la France, par le canal, il est vrai, de lInstitut, des Arts dcoratifs, des
municipalits, semblant (sauf M. Magnin Dijon) craindre un Etat, dont il est vrai,
les rfrences ntaient pas bonnes. Malheureusement, ce sont l des types de demeures
damateurs grands et petits offrant presque toujours un caractre anormal, et se bor-
nant aux parties nobies des immeubles, cadres de collections chtres leur cur de
donateurs, et dont ils souhaitaient assurer aprs eux la permanence. A ct de la
demeure princire du fils de Louis-Philippe (dont la conservation nen est pas moins
une insigne aubaine musographique et historique) comme nous aimerions avoir
aussi, intacts, lappartement : cuisine, lingerie, bibliothque comprise, dun bourgeois
de 1840 dans le quartier du Marais, les deux pices dun ouvrier de la Roquette en
1871, lelogement dun crivain de Montmartre vers 1905, lhtel dun riche industriel
de lavenue du Bois la veille de la guerre de I 9 I 4 ! Et cependant nous pouvons cerner
de plus prs, par certaines donations parisiennes3 ou provinciales, le got dune classe
un moment o il nous est possible dimaginer de faon prkcise le dcor de la vie des
princes, encore peu prs intact la chute de Napolon III.
En va-t-il autrement ltranger ? A dfaut de doctrine prcise et de prescriptions
administratives formelles, la Suisse garde avec beaucoup de soin, le plus exactement
possible, plusieurs demeures dautrefois, comme Hauteville, en Vaud (mais dont la
possession privCe exclut quant prsent toute garantie de permanence), et surtout
Wildegg, en Argovie, donn en I 9 I z par Mlle dEffinger 8 une fondation qui respecte
avec un soin jaloux les prescriptions de la testatrice; elles impliquent que rien, ab-
soht rien, en soit jamais modifi.
Le problme ne parat pas setre pos en Angleterre, et nous manquons de ren-,
seignements sur lEspagne. LItalie a suivi jusquici une voie semblable la ntre; en
dehors de la prsence Str de quelques meubles dans les salles o les utilisrent dil-
lustres habitants de la villa, on ne saurait trop dplorer la politique suivie lgard
des anciennes demeures vides de leur contenu, abandonnes des usages commer-
ciaux comme Guastalla, transformes en maisons de fous comme Colorno, le Ver-
sailles des Bourbons de Parme, en cole militaire comme Modhe. I1semble quune
politique secrte ait travaill dgrader, avec leurs chtcaux, la mmoire des princes
davant lunification italienne. Trop heureux les palais, comme le Pitti Florence,
dont laffectation une galerie duvres dart a sauvC partiellement au moins la
%nit, OU Mantoue, scandaleusement pill et avili en 1866, qui fut rorganis en
g r j 4 avec un certain soin, mais sans aucune doctrine.
La Russie sovitique na pas hsit procder des ventes qui ont appauvri son
Patrimoine dart, mais, en mme temps, elle ((strilisait )) dune manire trks intres-
sante le cadre de lavie des tzars. A Tzarsko-Slo, les appartements quitts par le
monarque
laveille de son exil sont rigoureusement conservs dans ltat o il les a
Pas une photographic, pas une pauvre babiole ne manque. Sur le bureau
le ((Figarou parvenu le lendemain de son dpart est encore l, sous sabande.
1 Ci. Brire: Replacement de lasuitc de vues des
jardins dc Versailles de laGaleric du grand Trianon,
in Mude1 de France, 1913, p. 88-90.
2 G. Brire in a) Bull. soc. hist. Art fr. 1938 -
b) Congrts international de lhistorie de lart suissc,
a Nous ne pensons pas ici ailx collections du
type muse Camondo, o le donateur, groupant des
chefs-duvre du temps, croyait U rcconstituer une
demeure artistique du XVIII~ii (cf. in BulL M u d s
de France 1937).
1936.
4 cf. Mowei on, 1928, p. 205
61
CHILTEAU UE CONPI ~XKE
Salon des Dames d'Honneur. 131 huit; tat 1812,
restitui en 1947 scloii les anciens inventaires; eu
~QJ: tat antrieur la rcstitutioii de 1947.
Salon of the Ladies-in-waiting; above: As it was in
1812, restored in 1947 in accordance with the old
inventories; below: Beforc thc restoraiion of 1947.
-
Ex.: Burgmayr. Putsdarn, 1930 ((Malheureuse-
ment larrangement du mobilier napas Etconserv.
Le lit est rnovdn ctc.. . .
62
Quelle l epn et quel document pour lavenir! Ailleurs, une table servie est reconsti-
tue dans un salon oh lon dnait; nous navons pas pu contrOler les procds
employs pour cette restitution, mais le principe est excellent.
Cest en Allemagne que le problme a jusquici t cern de plus prks; des
solutions ont t recherches, pas toujours satisfaisantes, mais prouvant le dsir trs
net de prserver les traits du pass et de ne pas tromper le public sur les documents
historiques prsents son tude ou sa curiosit. A Potsdam, les divers chteaux
montrent seulement pour ainsi dire les meubles dautrefois, et le plus souvent dans
la pice o ils figurerent un jour. Guides et catalogues prviennent honntement des
modifications1 apportes. Cependant la chambre mortuaire de Frdric II ayant t
compltement refaite sous le premier Empire, la conservation nen a pas moins voulu
restituer ((latmosphre qui mane des souvenirs du grand roi)) en y groupant quelques
meubles, entre autres le fauteuil o il mourut. A cette confusion on prfkrera linitia-
tive intressante de regrouper, dans les ailes que Frdric-Guillaume I V avait fait
construire en 1842, en un muse de lart du ((second rococo)) sans la prtention de
reconstituer des ensembles forcment faux, le mobilier du temps limin de cer-
taines pices du chteau. La mesure est trs bonne sil sest avr quil ny a pas eu
intrt laisser ces meubles, pour des raisons de vrit historique, dans des cadres
antrieurs leur fabrication. Toujours Potsdam, dcs soieries furent commandes
Lyon sur les authentiques cartons anciens. I1est important de noter que nous navons
pas vu intervenir encore la notion officielle dinventaire comme moyen de critique et
de contrle. Cest dans le guide officiel 1934 du chteau de Wiirzbourg, en Bavire,
par le directeur des chteaux bavarois, Heinrich Kessel, que nous le verrons pour la
premire - et semble-t-il laseule - fois employ. On y lit en effet (p. 5 3) que les salles
3 y 43 ont t refaites en I 93 2 ((daprs les anciens inventaires )). I1sagit en dehors de
la salle ovale qui ne prsente peu prs que son ancien dcor de portraits et de pein-
tures, de petites pices secondaires; et nous croyons savoir quil y eut simplement
itnitation des travaux poursuivis par Gaston Brire la suite des visites Versailles
du Dr Ernest Gall, intendant des anciennes demeures impriales. La remise en placc
des peintures dcoratives lavait frapp et il scn tait fait lch0 persuasif en Alle-
magne.
En rsutn, tous les efforts constats en Europe pour la remise en tat des ch-
teaux historiques nont jamais port systmatiquement sur leur dcor mobilicr. Tout
au plus, dans quelques cas exceptionnels, ont-ils intress le dcor mural (Prague,
Strasbourg en 1937) et des peintures anciennes furent-elles, cette occasion, remises
leUr place originale (Versailles, Wiirzbourg). Cest quoi se rduisent les prcdents
du travail scientifique maintenant entrepris Compigne. I1 vise la restitution his-
torique complte des parties du chteau ouvertes au public et la mise au point dune
doctrine musdographique dfinie de la prsentation dune demeure en fonction du
dcor mural subsistant, des kvnements historiques qui sy droulrent et des pos-
sibilits mobilires. La conservation du chteau attache une importance trs parti-
culire cette doctrine dont elle pose les premiers termes ; elle y voit le point de d-
part possible de toute une srie de restitutions, non seulement dans nos demeures de
la Couronne de France, mais pour celles en France et ltranger, qui, grce la
prsence dinventaires, de documents prcis, et, corrlativement, de marques dis-
tinctives sur les objets, pourraient entreprendre un travail paralllel. Mme des h8tels
particuliers du XVIIIe sicle et des chteaux la campagne eurent des inventaires
prcis et des fers ou des tiquettes dimmatriculation du mobilier; on pourrait voir
un jour rcstituer, dans sa rigoureuse exactitude dune anne ditermine, lhtcl
Lambert par exemple, ou, sil navait malheureusement t dtruit, le fastueux Nointel
de M. de Bchameil. Voici les principes adoptsz:
1 0 Nexposer dans une salle dtermine que les objets, meubles, tentures, etc.. . .
ayant figur dans cette salle une date dtermine et contrlable laide dinventaires
prtcis (complts ou modifis au besoin lorsquil sagit dune date entre deux inven-
taires, par des tmoignages faisant foi, comme les feuilles dentre ou de sortie du
garde-meubles, les factures de fournisseurs, les comptes financiers, la rigueur un
tmoignage oculaire sil mane dune source srieuse, une gravure, et, pour le XIXr
siecle partir dun certain moment, une photographie exactement date). Doivent
etre rigoureusement exclus tous autres objets, quel quen puisse tre lintret ou la
beaut, mme sils ont figur une autre date dans cette mme salles.
2 0 Les dates limites entre lesquelles il est possible denvisager une reconstitution
exacte sont, dune part, celle du dcor mural de la pice, dautre part, celle de la fin
delafonction rsidentielle de la demeure. (A Compigne, la chute du second Empire).
En dautres termes, pour donner un exemple concret, il ne saurait tre question
de tenter, mme sil savrait matriellement possible, lameublement dune salle au
temps de Louis XV si les proportions de la pice ont t modifies sous Napolon Ier,
Ou les boiseries remplaces par des lambris peints sous Napolon III. Par contre, il
est logique, faute des meubles de Louis XVI, de restituer dans sa vrit un ensemble
du temps de Napolon Ier ou de Louis-Philippe dans un salon conserv du temps
de Louis XVI puisque Napolon Ier ou Louis-Philippe ont rellement vcu, chacun
avec des meubles diffrents, dans le cadre Louis XVI subsistant de ce salon. La
v& historique est respecte.
3 O si plusieurs ensembles mobiliers dpoques diffrentes sont possibles resti-
tuer, tels quils existrent successivement dans la meme pice, le choix, pour des
dhomognit ou de parent de style doit en principe porter sur la restitution
se rapprochant chronologiquement le plus du dcor mural. Mais, si la restitution
exactement contemporaine du dcor mural simpose, puisquelle est la forme intel-
lectuellement et esthtiquement la plus vivante et la plus vraie (les transformations
succesSiVesy quoique dun vif intrt tant nanmoins des altrations), le choix pour
les restitutions postrieures peut tre lgitimement influenc par quatre considrations :
. a) (cas le plus frquent) la ncessit, pour pouvoir remeubler une pice plus
portante, de disposer dun meuble employ dans deux pikces diffrentes deux
dates distinctes;
b, le souci de la valeur esthtique suprieure dun ensemble et sa plus grande
signification pour lhistoire du got;
le Souci dhiter le disparate en meublant la mme date les diverses pices
dUn
priv, ou une srie de salles en enfilade;
CHATEAU DE COMPIBGNE
Salle des Colonnes. Eu barrt: tat 1817, restitu en
1946; en bas: Ctat antrieur B la restitution effectue
en 1946.
Hall of Pillars; above: As it was in 1817, rcstored in
I 946; below: Bcfore the rcstoratioti work carricd
out in 1946.
I I scrait intrcssant <IC siivoir lcs principes qui
scront adopts aux U. S. A. pour Morctt Housc ou
1Iooper Parkcr Housc. Cf. i l f or mi ou, suppt. 106
1946. On noiis dit que IC palais de Dom Pedro
Rio de J nneiro est dcvenu lhAtel dcs Postcs.
2 Lauteur ticnt a rcndrc ici uti particulier hom-
mage a s o n collcgue Pierre Verlet, dont Its conserva-
tions et la prdfiice du r(Mobi1ier royal)) ont et les
lments dcterniinants, pour nttrc pas cxplicitcs, de
la rcchcrchc ct dc la mise au point des principes
expos&.
3 Il cst prvu, pour ces objcts, dcs sallcs dexpo-
sition sysrrnatiquc pcrmcttant de nen pas priver le
public, ct de les prsenter au contraire dans un con-
texte artistique et historique lcur donnant la plus
grande signification possible.
63
Suite page r o 8
I
C H ~ T E A u
D E COMPI GNE
by J E A N V B R G N E T - R U I z
1 G. Brikre: Replacement de la suite de vues des
jardins de Versailles de la Gallcrie du grand Tria-
non, in Mu.reJ de Frutrce, 1913, p. 88-90.
2 G. Britrc in (a) Bull. soc. hist. Art fr. 1938 -
(b) Congrs intcrnationale de lhistoire de lart
suisse, 1936.
64 continued page IO 8
s a result of events at the end of the eighteenth century, the abandonment of vari-
A ous Royal residences during the nineteenth century and the fall of dynasties,
scveral chteaux ceased to be used. Most of these were converted into museums in
order to preserve their artistic value and to allow the public to see famous places
which recalled important scenes in the countrys history,
The creation of the short-lived Museumfranfais at Versailles, followed by Louis
Philippes conversion of that palace into a museum enshrining all the glories of
France is the only instance of deliberate planning. Elsewhere no effort was made to
arrange systematic displays of educational value for the visitor, which might
preserve unchanged for the future the exact setting in which our sovereigns lived
and held court, or in which the historic events which occurred in those residences
took place. The classification of former Royal residences, carried out in I 848 on M-
rimes initiative, had unfortunately not dealt with their interior furnishing - and,
although the Second Empire was remarkably careful to preserve existing arrange-
ments in spite of the fact that the buildings had to be occupied by the new sovereigns,
there was a change after the fall of the Empire, when official looting went on under
the apathetic eye of the public authorities and of art historians. Used as a souice for
furniture for public buildings and the large government departments, the former royal
chteaux were gradually denuded of almost everything which had formed the back-
ground for the oficial and private life of the heads of the State. Furniture left iii thein
was, more often than not, moved into rooms for which it had not been intended,
and free space was filled, without other thought than that of achieving the best possible
visual effect, by old-fashioned furniture with which the national storchouses were
overstocked, the overflow from the great museums, or spare pieces from the govern-
ment factories. Thus, while it sometimes happened that a valuable article was dis-
played to the public, it was merely used to furnish an empty room and there was no
attempt to show its particular significance. The whole collection might be grouped,
broken, transferred and regrouped according to the taste of directors or curators,
whenever an article was unexpectedly required elsewhere or a new item was added.
Furthermore, by removing from view, pieces which were considered second-rate or
which were not in keeping with one another, set effects were arranged in the taste of
the time, more completely Louis XVI or First Empire than had ever actually existed,
but corresponding to the interior decorators idea of those styles.
The true development of taste was entirely misrepresented and the idea formed
by the public of the background of their former rulers was completely false. I n 1926,
Compigne and Fontainebleau, which had previously been bandied from one
Ministry to another (including the Ministry of Works which was concerned with
them as public buildings), were placed under the control of the departmknt of
National Museums, The disappearance of furniture then stopped, at least to some
extent, but no attempt was made to remedy the existing state of affairs.
The first endeavours to bring order out of the upheavals of the nineteenth century
were made at Versailles, which was in a more fortunate position as it had always
been under the Museums Department. Pierre de Nolhac lamented the damage, the
extent of which his work brought to light, but apart from restoring statues in the
gardens and paintings in the gallery of the Trianon to their placesl, he did not attempt
to carry out the reforms which his great prestige might have made possible.
Following Pierre de Nolhac, Andr Prat and, even more, Gaston Brire, made
successful efforts to replace several paintings which Louis-Philippe had banished to
the provinces to make room for his glories of France2. No similar attempts were
made to replace the furniture. The Ancient Monuments Department, for their part,
also embarked on the restoration of a building to its former state, when Danis re-
placed the paintings in the chapel of the Ecole Militaire but left the altar in the neigh-
bouring church of Saint Pierre du Gros Caillou. This lack of official concern for the
finest memorials of the past is surprising in an age when the tendency was for public
opinion to take the opposite view, as if the State were opposed to that desire to keep
things unchanged which was so warmly cherished by private donors. Most donors -
the Duc dAumale, bequeathing Chantilly, Madame Andrk in the preamble to her
will, the Bony brothers at Bordeaux, Monsieur de Camondo - expressly stated their
desire that the residences which they were leaving to France should be preserved
exactly as they were; furthermore, they bequeathed them through the Institut de
M U S E E S D HI S T O I R E N A T U R E L L E
LES
N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y M U S E U M S
COLLECTI ONS D~HI ST o I RE NAT U RE LLE
uand on parle dhistoire naturelle, il faut distinguer deux ordres de documents
qui se compltent la fois du point de vue scientifique et du point de vue
dkmonstratif: les collections vivantes et les collections prpares et conserves dans
les muses.
,rdS collections vivantes
Les collections vivantes ont pour but de conserver, en vue de ltude ou de la
prksentation publique, des espces animales ou vgtales intressantes divers titres.
Cest le rle des J ardins zoologiques et botaniques, des Aquariums et des Vivariums.
Les J ardins zoologiques sont relativement peu nombreux en France. Le plus
ancien de tous, et probablement aussi lanctre de tous les tablissements similaires
du monde entier, la mnagerie du J ardin des Plantes, dont certains btiments ont
cte modernises depuis quelques annes, a t complte, dans le cadre du Musum
national dHistoire naturelle, par la cration du Parc zoologique du Bois de Vin-
cemes, organisation la fois scientifique et spectaculaire qui peut soutenir la com-
paraison avec les ZOOS les plus rcents de ltranger.
Les autres organisations zoologiques de France sont, pour la plupart, ravitailles
en animaux par le zoo parisien qui tend devenir, non seulement leur fournisseur,
mais aussi leur guide scientifique et technique. Citons en premier lieu les J ardins
zoologiques de Lyon, Marseille, de Mulhouse et de Strasbourg, puis ceux de Nancy,
Bourges, Toulouse, Tours et Angers.
Les J ardins botaniques existent en principe dans chaque ville universitaire, mais
plusieurs dentre eux sont rservs aux tudiants. Une mention particulire doit &re
faite pour les J ardins botaniques des Ecoles vtrinaires dAlfort, de Lyon et de
Toulouse, particulirement bien tenus. Parmi ceux qui sont accessibles au public,
il faut en premier lieu mentionner le J ardin des Plantes de Paris avec son cole de
Botanique, ses collections systmatiques, son jardin alpin et ses serres.
Les principaux J ardins botaniques de province sont: les J ardins des Plantes
dAngers, de Metz, Montpellier, Rouen, les J ardins botaniques de Besanon, Bor-
deaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Nancy, Nantes, Rennes, Stras-
bourg, Toulouse, Grenoble, Lille et enfin la J aysinia de Samons (Haute-Savoie)
&Xe scientifiquement par le Musum. Les Aquariums et Vivariums, comme les
PrkcCdentes organisations, ont un double rle: ce sont pour la plupart des centres
de recherche scientifique, dont les salles dexposition sont ouvertes au public. A Paris,
lAquarium du Muse permanent des Colonies a t construit loccasion de 1Expo-
sition coloniale, en 193 I , et relve de lAdministration des Colonies, sous la direction
techique du Musum, tandis que lAquarium du Trocadro est la proprit de la Ville
de h i s . Le Vivarium du J ardin des Plantes, annexe du Laboratoire dEntomologie
du MusCum, a t difi en 1925, grce aux fonds de la souscription Pasteur.
En province, signalons lAquarium de Dinard, annexe du Laboratoire de Ma-
lacologie du Musum, le Muse de la Mer de Biarritz, organisme appartenant la
de Biarritz mais dont la gestion scientifique est assure en partie par le Musum,
la Recherche scientifique, lOffice des Pches et lOffice national mtorologique.
Le Collge de France administre le Laboratoire maritime de Concarneau; la
Facult des Sciences de Paris: le laboratoire Arago, Banyuls-sur-Mer; la Facult
des Sciences de Marseille: le laboratoire dEndoume. Nous ne pouvons passer sous
dans cette numration, lInstitut ocanographique de Monaco, legs princier
ffunissant dans un mme btiment un beau Muse ocanographique et un aqua-
&CS cohtions des m.q.rej
par ACHI L L E URBA I N
et PA UL RODE
Q
Parc zoologique du Bois de Vincennes.
~ ~ O $ ~ ~ e ~ ~ ~ & ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ $ ~ n ~ e ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ *
gnralc* le *Ocher des singes*
qui attirent chaque anne un nombre trs important de visiteurs.
si hportantes que soient ces organisations, dont le succs est toujours trs
gmd auprs du public, elles ne constituent cependant quune faible partie de la
documentation dhistoire naturelle quc possde la France.
Cette documentation est considrable et reprsente une valeur historique et
scientifique unique au monde, en raison de lancicnnet des rechcrches dhistoire
naturelle en France et des apports des voyageurs naturalistes du temps pass.
Elle cst rkpartie dans plus de I 50 muses, dont le Musum dHistoire rlaturelle
constitue lorganisme principal qui va devenir, du fait de la crkation rcente du
Service national de Musologie, le centre administratif, technique et scientifique
des Musies dIIistoire naturclle de France.
Le Musum, tablissement suprieur relevant du Ministre de 1Education na-
tionale, comprend z I chaires, dont I 7 de collections : Agronomie coloniale, Ana-
tomie compare, Anatomie compare des vgtaux vivants et fossiles, Botanique
(Phanrogamie), Botanique (Cryptogamie), Culture, Entomologie, Erptologie, Ento-
mologie agricole coloniale, Ethologie des animaux sauvages, Gologie, Malacologie,
Minkralogie, Mammalogie et Ornithologie, Palontologie, Pches et Productions
coloniales dorigine animale, Vers et Crustacs.
11nest pas fait tat, dans cet article, du Muse de lHomme (Chaire dEthno-
logie des hommes actuels ct fossiles), install au Palais de Chaillot, puisquil doit
faire lobjet dun article special de la prsente revue.
Chacun des services mentionns ci-dessus possde, dune part, des collections
de travail et, dautre part, des collections dexposition. Ces dernires sont rparties
dans quatre biitiments situs au J ardin des Plantes, sans compter le Muse du Duc
dOrlans qui renferme des collections de chasse et des dioramas.
Parmi les autres muses franais, il faut distinguer les muses dhistoire na-
turelle spkcialiss et les collections contenues dans les muses mixtes (Histoire natu-
relle, Beaux-Arts, Techniques) et dont le nombre est trs lev. La plupart sont la
proprit des villes, parfois des dpartements; quelques-uns dpendent des Facults
ou de socits prives dhistoire naturelle.
Les musees spcialiss les plus importants sont ceux de Lyon, Marseille, Tou-
louse, Bordeaux, Lille, Nantes, La Rochelle, Rouen, Grenoble, Nmes, Angers,
Bayonne.
Pour citer les autres muses, il faudrait indiquer les noms de presque toutes
les villes de France qui possedent des collections, mais celles-ci sont dimportance
trs variable.
Le but que se propose le Service de Musologie, dont le fonctionnement date de
1947, est trs vaste et, dans les circonstances actuelles, il ne peut &re atteint que par
paliers.
I1 consiste dabord i mettre sur pied un organisme central de documentation
et darchives sur toutes les collections contenues dans les muses frangais.
Les muses et les organisations zoologiques et botaniques de province les plus
importants (en principe une dizainc) constitueront des centres dexposition publique
et de recherche dhistoire naturelle. Chacun deux contrlera les tablissements
de moindre importance et les collections contenues dans un secteur gographque
qui sera dtermin.
Ainsi, par la collaboration entre le service central de Paris et les grandes direc-
tions, il sera possible de dresser linventaire scientifique de nos collections et den-
visager leur rorganisation sur le plan dmonstratif.
I1faut en effet reconnatre que nos Muses dHistoire naturelle, qui possdent
des documents incomparables, aussi bien par leur importance historique que par leur
quantit et leur variCt, ne se sont gure proccups, au moins jusqu ces dernires
annes, de la prksentation publique et scolaire. Seuls les spcialistes ou les amateurs
trouvaient dans ces tabiissements matikre leurs recherches ou leur distraction,
mais peu defforts ont t raliss pour attirer le public et lintresser aux collections.
I1appartient donc aux Musees dHistoire naturelle, ct du travail scientifique
(classement et ditermination, tude), de moderniser les prsentations des galeries
du hlusium de Paris et de donner des conseils musologiques aux organisations de
province.
Cette tche est particulirement dlicate, au moment o les conditions mat-
rielles et financires sont difficiles. I1faudra, comme nous lavons dj dit, procder
par tapes. Dabord effectuer les inventaires et conserver le matriel actuel, puis
choisir les conservateurs aptes raliser la troisime phase du travail musologique :
la rorganisation technique et spectaculaire des tablissements dhistoire naturelle.
,Liwsf.v~DHISTOIRE NATURELLE DE PARIS.
Le jardin alpin.
The Mzdum dHirtoire AratuteNe at Paris.
The Alpine Garden.
66 Suite page IIo
Salle dExposition temporaire du Musum dHis-
toirc naturclle. Lexposition Lu flore et la faarm dum
ILS arts apphquh, 1947.
Temporary Enhil)irion Room at the Murewn dHi+
toire ahi reNe. Exhibition of Flowers and Animals
in the Applied Arts, held at the museum i n 1947.
n speaking of natural history, a distinction must be made between two types of
I specimens, which are complementary from both the scientific and the demonstra-
tional point of view - live collections, and prepared collections kept in museums.
Live collections
The object of live collections is to preserve important animal or vegetable
species for study or for demonstration purposes. This is the part which zoological
and botanical gardens, aquaria and vivaria have to play.
There are comparatively few zoological gardens in France. The oldest is the
Mnagerie in the Jardin des Plantes, which was probably earlier than any similar
institution in the world. Some of its buildings were modernized a few years
ago. With the Zoological Park set up in the Bois de Vincennes, which is both a
scientific organization and a park comparable with the most modern Zoos abroad,
it now forms part of the National Museum of Natural History.
Most of the other zoological gardens in France are supplied with animals by
the Paris Zoo, which is tending to become not only their source of supply but also
their scientific and technical adviser. The most important are at Lyons, Marseilles,
Mulhouse and Strasbourg, and after them those at Nancy, Bourges, Toulouse, Tours
and Angers.
I n theory, there are botanical gardens in every university town, but many of
them are reserved for the use of students. The Botanical Gardens attached to the
Veterinary Colleges at Alfort, Lyons and Toulouse, which are extremely well kept,
should be mentioned particularly, Of those open to the public, the most important
is the Jardin des Plantes at Paris with its School of Botany, its systematic collections,
alpine garden and hothouses.
The most important provincial botanical gardens are the Jardin des Plantes
of Angers, Meta, Montpellier and Rouen, the Botanical Gardens at Besanson, Bor-
deaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Lyons, Marseilles, Nancy, Nantes, Rennes, Stras-
bourg, TOU~OUSC, Grenoble and Lille and, finally, the J aysinia at Samoens (Haute
Savoie), whch is administered scientifically by the Museum.
Aquaria and vivaria, like the institutions mentioned above, have a double part
to play; most of them are scientific research centres with exhibition halls open to
the public,
In Paris, the Aquarium of the Mtlse permanerit des Colomes was built at the time
ofthe Colonial Exhibition in 193 I and is controlled by the Colonial Oilice under the
technical direction of the Museum, whereas the Aquarium at the Trocadero is the
Property of the City of Paris. The Vivarium in the Jardin des Plantes, attached
to the Entomological Laboratory of the Museum, was built in 1921 with money
Provided by the Pasteur Fund.
In the provinces, mention should be made of the Aquarium at Dinard, which
is attached to the Malacological J ,aboratory of the Museum, and of the Marine
at Biarritz, which belongs to the city. The scientific side of the latter is,
managed jointly by the Museum, the Scientific Research Department, the
Fisheries Department and the National Meteorological Office.
The Marinc Laboratory at Concarneau is run by the Collge de France; the Arago
Laboratory at Banyuls-sur-Mer, by the School of Sciences of Paris; and the En-
Laboratory by the School of Sciences of Marseilles.
FRENCH
NATURAL HI STORY
COLLECTI ONS
by ACHI LLE URBAI N AND PAUL RODE
continued page I r O
67
ORGANI SATI ON
par PAUL RI VET
DUN MUSE DETHNOLOGI E
n muse est un organisme charg de recueillir, de restaurer, de protger, de
U classer, dktudier et de prsenter les produits de lactivit humaine dans tous les
domaines, ou les multiples richesses du monde minral, vgtal ou animal, aussi bien
dans le pass que dans le prsent. Cette dfinition englobe par consquent aussi bien
les muses dart, de technologie, de sciences exactes ou appliques, dethnologie, que
les bibliothques, les rserves naturelles et les parcs nationaux.
Mon intention nest pas de parler dans cet expos de cet ensemble, dautant quen
ce qui concerne les rserves naturelles et les parcs nationaux je nai pas de comp-
tence. J e me limiterai donc ce quon dnomme communment les ((muses )) et ferai
particulirement appcl mon exprience de lorganisation dun Muse dEthnologie,
convaincu dailleurs que les principes que jai pu tirer de cette exprience spcialise
valent pour tous les muses.
Lors de leur cration, les muses ont eu pour tche la prservation et la conser-
vation. Cest ce but que rpondirent les ((cabinets de curiosits)). Mais, depuis lors,
leur rle sest considrablement amplifi et un programme singulirement plus vaste
et plus complexe a t fix leur activit, encore que ltroite conception primitive
ait trop souvent tendance se survivre.
A lheure actuelle, si un muse doit toujours assumer la prservation et la conser-
vation de collections de natures trs diverses, son rle social est apparu et samplifie
chaque jour davantage. I1doit tre un facteur essentiel dducation populaire.
Un homme quelconque, cest--dire dnu de culture ou dot dune culture rudi-
mentaire, un enfant, doivent sortir dun muse enrichis de notions nouvelles, pr-
cises, simples. Pour 1Clever la connaissance, il faut lui en faciliter laccs, en veillant
sa curiosit. I1est donc indispensable que la prsentation des collections soit d-
pouille de tout pdantisme, de tout vocabulaire technique. Tout peut en effet sex-
primer, sexpliquer, se commenter en un langage accessible tous. Il ny a pas de
tche plus difficile, mais il nest pas dobjectif plus exaltant pour un conservateur que
de sappliquer travailler pour le plus humble des visiteurs qui pntreront dans
ltablissement quil dirige.
Le comportement dun humble manuel, dun enfant dans un muse est le ractif
le plus sensible pour jugcr de la russite ou de lchec de leffort ralis.
J e dsire donncr ici un exemple de russite remarquable. Cest la salle du Muse
de lHomme consacre lanthropologie physique. Rendre comprhensibles tous,
attrayantes pour tous, les notions austres sur lesquelles repose la classification des
peuples, apparaissait, priori, comme une tche impossible. Lintelligence de mes
excellents collaborateurs, MM. Lester et Champion, a vaincu la difficult et il ny a pas
de salle du Muse plus frquente, en particulier le dimanche, que celle-l. La foule
voit et comprend ce que la science de lhomme a de plus secret, de plus ferm et de
plus rbarbatif. Ceci prouve quil ne faut jamais sous-estimer le public.
Malheureusement, bien peu de conservateurs ont la conviction que leur muse
appartient dabord au public. Le Gouvernement lui-mme leur montre lexemple en
fermant, pendant de longs mois, quatre muses pour mettre le Palais de Chaillot la
disposition de 10N u.
Le droit dentre, qui est rclamb. aux visiteurs dans beaucoup de pays, na
cependant pas dautre justification que la reconnaissance de cette proprit collective
inalitnable. Ncessaire et lgitime, parce quil donne au public la conscience dune
participation une uvre faite pour lui, il na plus de raison dtre si ce but nest pas
atteint.
Cedroit dentre doit dailleurs tre rduit, voire supprim, pour les visites en
groupe des associations culturelles ou syndicales, des lves des coles. Encore
importe-t-il que ces visites, pour tre fructueuses, soient diriges ; dans trop de muses,
ce sont les gardiens qui remplissent les fonctions de guides. I1en est qui sacquittent
merveille de cette tche. I1en est beaucoup dautres qui y sont nettement infrieurs.
I1vaut mieux, ne serait-ce que pour multiplier les contacts entre celui qui sait et celui
qui veut apprendre, que ce soient des spcialistes qui assument ce rle. Pour les
enfants des coles, dont la visite doit tre conduite par leurs propres matres, il est
bon que ceux-ci aient pralablenieiit pris contact avec les collections. Rien nest plus
que dorganiser, sous la direction dun spcialiste, des visites collectives de
denseignement, qui, leur tour, transmettront, avcc un sens pdagogique
plus aigu que le savant, les notions ainsi acquises.
Trop de conservateurs continuent penser et A agir comme si seuls les lites ou
les spcialistes pouvaient sintresser leur aeuvre. J e ne parle pas de ceux qui se
comportent comme si le muse quils dirigent tait fait pour eux-mmes.
La notion primordiale de service public, que jeviens dexposer, dtermine non
seulement le mode de prsentation des collections, mais les conditions dans lesquelles
elles doivent tre accessibles.
Les collections offertes aux visiteurs doivent tre slectionnes, en quelque sorte
dcantes. I1ne peut tre question daccumulcr dans les vitrines toutes les richesses
du muse; il faut faire un choix des pices les plus reprsentativcs, dc cclles qui ont
lecaractre ducatif le plus efficace. I1est galement indispensable de rendre la vie
aux objets exposs.
Animer les choses mortes, vides du contenu motionnel que la vie leur com-
muniquait, que le milieu et les besoins pour lesquels elles ont t ralises leur
avaient confr, est la tche la plus dlicate, la plus ardue qui incombe un conser-
vateur. Cest aussi la pierre de touche de son iiitelligence et de son dvouement. I1
peut y arriver par des notices claires, avcnantes, rdiges sans pdantisme, en langage
simple, par des photographies habilement choisies, par des appareils de vues st-
roscopiques, par le moyen malheureusement trs coteux des dioramas, par des
auditions musicales appropries, et enfin par le cinma. Chaque muse devrait pos-
seder une salle cinmatographique o limage mouvante serait le commentaire per-
manent des exhibitions figes des vitrines, et o des sances seraient particulikrement
rserves aux enfants : films documentaires, films de voyage, films ducatifs.
Beaucoup de conservateurs pensent rsoudre le probltme complexe de lini-
tiation par ldition de catalogues. Cette mthode prsente le grave inconvnient de
figer en quelque sorte le muse dans un tat quasi dfinitif. Or un muse est une
crkation continue. Le public doit, chaque visite, y trouver un nouvel appel sa
curiosit. Ceci suppose un renouvellement constant des arrangements de vitrines, des
expositions. Le catalogue, en crant un cadre rigide, freine fatalement toute modifi-
cation importante des dispositions premitres. I1paralyse toute innovation dans le plan
primitif.
J e veux illustrer cette affirmation dun exemple. Pendant de longues annes, les
muses dethnologie ont admis pour la prsentation de leurs collections une classifi-
cation base sur la gographie politique. Cest ainsi que le Muse de lHomme a opr
lui-mme. I1y a donc des vitrines consacres aux diffrents pays, comme si les dli-
mitations actuelles correspondaient une ralit ethnique ou culturelle. Cette m-
thode simposait au dbut, car elle donnait un cadre facile o notre ignorance des
relations humaines pouvait se mouvoir aisment. Les progrts de la science ont permis
de substituer ces divisions artificielles la notion daires de civilisation, et cest dans
ceSens que le Muse de lHomme tend orienter ses efforts. Sil avait exist un cata-
logue de la premitre prsentation, ce guide serait absolument prim. Avec le systme
des grands tableaux muraux qui sont le commentaire des expositions par pays et qui
rePrksentent en vrit le catalogue vivant du Muse de lIIomme, il suffira de les r-
adapter au fur et mesure que le travail de rorganisation seffectuera, et le public
Pourra en suivre pas pas les progrs et cn apprcier les avantages.
Puisque le muse est fait pour le peuple, il doit lui tre accessible aux heures o
les travailleurs de toutes catgories sont libres, cest--dire pendant les heures et les
jours de repos, le dimanche, les jours de fte, et aprs dner. Ceci exige du personnel
un effort et un sacrifice, mais effort et sacrifice peuvent tre facilement obtenus de lui,
si On sait lanimer du sentiment de solidaritd sociale, si on lui fait comprendre la
grandeur de laction ducative laquelle il participe et surtout si, du haut en bas de
chelle hirarchique, chacun montre quil est la disposition et au service du visi-
kur. Pour donner A celui-ci limpression dune participation lavie m5me du muse,
est bon quil ait lapossibilit de faire des suggestions, de poser des questions, voire
de prknter des critiques au personnel dirigeant. DU papier lettre et des enveloppes
sa disposition lui permettront de transmettre ses observations.
MWE DE LHOMME
EDO, GCniede laguerre du Dahomey. A g a d e , avant
son dpart pour les Etats-Unis. A droite, d son retour
des Etats-Unis, priv des deux armes quil portait.
Ebo, God of War, from Dahomey. 1,sft; before being
scnt to the United States. Right: on return from the
U. S., without the two weapons formerly carried.
Suite page I I I
69
OR
AN
.GANI
ETH
museum is an institution charged with the task of collecting, rcstoring, safe-
guarding, classifying, studying, and exhibiting the results of human activity in
every sphere of the manifold mineral, vegetable or animal riches of the earth, alike
of the past and of the present. Such a definition is in logic equally applicable to mu-
seums of the arts, technology, pure and applied science and ethnology, and to libraries,
nature reserves and national parks.
In the present document I do not propose to discuss the whole field, especially
as I am not competent to talk about nature reserves and national parks. I shall
accordingly confine myself to what is commonly understood by the term museum,
with particular reference to my own experience in organizing an ethnological mu-
seum; for I am persuaded that the lessons I have learned in the course of that special-
ZATI ON OF A
NOL O GI CAL
MUSEUM
by PAUL RI VET
ized experience are valid for all museums.
Ever since they began, the task of museums has been one of preservation and
conservation ; this was the purpose of collections of curiosities. But since then
the rle of museums has considerably developed and their activities cover a pro-
gramme far wider and more complex, although the narrow original concept is all
too apt to survive.
To-day, while museums must still undertake to preserve and conserve collections
of all kinds, they have been assigned a social rle, whose scope increases daily. They
are intended to be an essential element in popular education.
A child or an average man i. e., a man of little or no culture, should leave a
museum enriched with new ideas, definite and easily grasped. To bring him to
knowledge, h s way must be eased by awakening his curiosity. It is thus essential
that there be no trace of pedantry or of technical verbiage in the presentation of
collections to the public. Everything can be said, and all necessary explanations or
comments can be given, in language understandable to all. It is the curators most
difficult task, but his loftiest aim, to strive to serve the humblest visitor to the
collection in his charge.
cofllinuedpage I I I
TECHNI QUE
MUSE DE
DE PR s E NTATI ON
par ROGER FALCK
L HOMME
Panneau ct vitrine nsynthsea.
Pancl and Show-case.
70
DES V I TRI NES AU
ntrodttction :
I Dans limplantation fixe du Muse de lHomme, la vitrine standard se trouve
((idologiquement )) en troisime position. Elle dpend :
1 0 dupanneatl (format I m. 93 x I m. I O) qui se compose dun titre en noir (rgion
gographique), titre en rouge (groupe ethnique), dune petite carte de signalisation,
dune carte politique, de photographies, plus un texte typographi comportant les
rubriques suivantes : description gographique, divisions politiques, vie matrielle,
populations ;
2 0 de la vitrine ccgnthdsen (gnralits des grands faits de civilisation) groupant
lanthropologie, des objets typiques, une documentation photographique et de petits
textes typographis dcrivant lhomme, la vie sociale, la rel&on. Le titre de la vitrine
synthse, en lcttres en relief, donne en rouge le groupe ethnique, en blanc la rgion
gographique. Cette vitrine ((commande)) un groupe de cinq faces de vitrines stan-
dard, une vitrine cloche et une vitrine table.
Enfin arrive la vitrine ccstandarh, dun volume plus grand, qui exprime une sub-
division gographique ou politique et une population. Elle devient en quelque sorte
une vitrine de dtail dans laquelle devront rentrer les objets concrtisant la culture
matrielle et spirituelle dune population donne. Son titre de rgion, en blanc, est
suivi de la population en rouge.
Les objets, de taille, de dimensions, de formes et de couleurs les plus diverses,
exigeaient un type de vitrine dont lamnagement intrieur ft assez perfectionn
pour assurer une prsentation rationnelle et une scurit quant la conservation. Ce
type fut mis au point par M. G.-H. Rivire, dont la comptence en cette matire,
comme en tant dautres, na pas dgale.
Matrel de base :
La vitrine ((standard)) se compose dune armature mtallique de 2 m. 70 de haut,
3 m. 20 de large, sur I m. 22 de profondeur. Cette dernire, divisCe par deux panneaux
mobiles monts sur rails, provoque deux faces. Chaque face se trouve divise en
deux Clments par deux chassis mtalliques fermeture tanche, supportant chacun
Vitrine ustandard)); face prsentant les objets en
position fonctionnelle.
Standard show-case; front view showing objects
in their Gcfunctional position,
une glace de 2 m. 22 de haut sur I m. 43 de large. Une vitrine standard donne donc
quatre Clments. Dans nos descriptions ultrieures, nous ne parlerons que par faces
et dments. Les deux cts en glaces sont de 2 m. 27 sur I m. I j, le dessus en verre
dCpoli de 3 m. 17 sur I m. 22.
Le fond de chaque lment est compos dun panneau de 2 m. 20 de haut, I m. 54
de large, 4 cm. dpaisseur, en contreplaqu recouvert dune toile de jute. Ce revte-
ment de couleur beige a, outre lavantage de ne pas laisser de traces de clous, celui de
saccorder par son ton neutre avec 1% presque totalit des objets exposer. La mobilit
du Panneau permet davoir une profondcur maximum de 83 cm. et un minimum de
35 cm., ce qui offre la possibilit dun volume diffrent sur une surface permanente.
La base de la vitrine se trouve 3 5 cm. du sol. Elle forme une surface portante de
3 17 sur o m. j g par face, quand le panneau se trouve au milieu de ICpaisseur. Dans
langle gauche de la surfacc SC trouve un trou grillag de IO cm. de ct destin
librer le gaz des produits anti-parasites contenus dans un tiroir de 20 cm. de long,
Chaque lment est clair de lextrieur par une lampe sous rflecteur, dune
longueur de Gocm., plac une distance de 40 cm.
ramenagement intrieur de chaque lment consiste dans le haut en barres per-
mdiculaires de fixation 1 2 trous, dtplaables tous les I O cm., plus unc barre fixe
5 m. sur toute la largeur du panneau. Sur les montants intkrieurs, une srie de 43
trous espacs de 5 cm. en 5 cm. permet de fixer la hauteur dsirc des querres de
mrentes longueurs supportant des tablettes en glace des formats suivants (voir le
112 de haut et 14 de large, dissimul dans le socle de la vitrine.
1
A
/ u 7 T C
--
O IO 2 0 30 40 S OC M.
A. Equerre de grande tablettc. Cas demie-tablette
B. Equerre de demie-tablette. Cas demie-tablette
C. Barre de tablette, avec trous pour le passage
D. Vue de lensemble de la grande tablette.
arrihre.
avant.
des fils.
A. Double shelf bracket. Half shelf inrear.
B. Half shelf bracket. Half shelf forward.
C. Shelf rod with holes for wires.
D. Typical assembly of main shelf.
croquis) : I j 6 sur 61 cm. et une demie-tablette I 5 6 sur 3 3 cm., ce qui donne, selon les
exigences de la vitrine composer et pour ne point gner la visibilit des objets, les
combinaisons dune demie-tablette arrire ou avant.
Les montants sont peints en gris fon; lintrieur, tous les accessoires mtal-
liques, ainsi que le sol de la vitrine, en gris clair.
Tout ceci compose le matriel de base. I1convient maintenant dtudier le ma-
triel accessoire.
Le matriel acctwoire complte les possibilits offertes par les amnagements dc
la vitrine ((standards. Des fils de laiton de couleur noire (pour viter les brillances) des
diamtres 3 / 1 0 mm., 6/10 mm., 9/10 mm., passant par les trous des diffrentes barrcs
dcrites plus haut, forment un vritable rseau de possibilits verticales ou obliques ;
on peut ainsi suspendre ou incliner tous les objets qui ne peuvent tre poss sur le sol
de la vitrine ou sur les tablettes. Par ces fils, parfois presque invisibles, avec le sccours
dune punaise de signalisation, dun crochet X, etc., fich dans le panneau de contre-
plaqu, on peut accrocher la pice dsire. Mais il reste entendu que la fixation la plus
satisfaisante est celle que le public ne peut dceler. Une pingle tte coupe, fichc
au bon endroit, pourra tre un support de flche satisfaisant qui fera croire la presti-
digitation.
Un problme qui reste extrmement dlicat est celui des socles et de leur couleur:
les essais faits en matires translucides ne le rsolvent pas entirement. Le meilleur
des socles doit tre celui qui, par sa forme simple en fonction de la pice soutenir,
arrive se faire oublier. Sacouleur ne doit pas prter confusion avec celle de la
pice, Pour une salle, il convient que tous les socles et flancs des plans inclins soient
identiques de ton. Le gris semble satisfaisant. Dans le cas de nombreux petits objets
ncessitant des socles dans un mme lment, un socle collectif sera toujours plus accep-
table quune rptition exagre de socles qui fait toujours penser aux tirs des ftes
foraines. Des supports en laiton, peints en gris ou en beige, soutiendront les vases,
mais leur armature soude doit tre dissimule par la panse de lobjet.
Le choix de-r o&ets. est fait dans les magasins par le responsable scientifique du d-
partement qui, seul, a qualit pour dterminer quels sont, dans les rserves, les objets
les plus reprsentatifs. Le catalogue lui donne les numros et tous les renseignements
ncessaires, tant au point de vue technique que sociologique. Ces documents laide-
ront rdiger les textes de vitrine, les tiquettes.
Ce premier choix limine, mais il y a avantage disposer de plus dobjets quil
nen faut pour le montage dun lment. Leur densit et leur nombre varient selon
leur taille ou leur volume, Un lment trop peupl perd son efficacit dmonstrative;
pas assez, il donne une impression de vide. I1 convient donc de se tenir dans le juste
milieu.
PrJentation: Le monteur, accompagn du responsable scientifique, entour des
objets et de la documentation, disposant du matriel de base et du matriel accessoire,
se doit de remplir au mieux la surface et le volume affrents chaque lment. Sans
aucun apriorisme esthtique, aprs de nombreux essais, la ((mise en place)) sera d-
termine par les volumes, les formes et les couleurs. Elle subira malgr tout deux
impratifs. Premirement, prscnter les pices autant quil se peut dans leur sens
dutilisation, leur attitude fonctionnelle (une bche, le fer en haut, serait un non sens).
Deuximement, respecter la zone de visibilit qui stablit en moyenne entre go cm.
et I m. go, et celle, plus directe, comprise entre I m. 30 et I m. 80 (ces hauteurs ont une
grande importance pour le placement de la documentation typographite). Ces deux
principes logiques poss, il sera loisible au monteur dordonner son matriel dune
manire cohrente et harmonieuse.
Toutes les combinaisons daccrochage et de suspension peuvent ce moment
intervenir. Le jeu de tablettes ne doit tre utilis que pour prsenter hauteur de vue
de petits objets. Seuls les gros volumes doivent tre poss mme le sol de la vitrine,
ainsi que les longues pices prsentes la verticale. Les machines, toutes pikces
assembles en position daction, seront accompagnes de discrets schmas.
Lextrme diversit du matriel ethnographique, souvent ingrat de matire, inter-
dit tout rappel de ((composition)) se rfrant la composition classique. De par sa nature,
ce matriel vite la rptition; il nen est que plus difficile de dfinir les lois de sa
correcte prsentation qui, presque chaque fois, pose des problmes nouveaux. Mais
en revanche, on peut trs bien dceler ce quil convient de ne pas faire. Grouper les
PrCscntation de costumes. - Costume display.
armes en panoplie doit tre laiss au got des collectionneurs dun autre ge. Les
prsentations ((artistes, thtrale, publicitaire, convergente, relvent du commerce
et A ce titre doivent tre condamnes, ainsi que celles se dfinissant en escalier, en
balance (danger de deux tablettes la mme hauteur pour deux Clments), en ((dessus
de chemine)) ou encore en damicr, en V ou en X, pour la documentation, Elles ont
toutes le grave dfaut, pour des fins extra-scientifiques, de faire violence aux objets, de
ne pas les laisser ((sexprimer)) eux-mmes, et, de plus, dinterdire au public limpres-
sion quil dcouvre lui-mme la beaut ou lintrt, voire le secret du matriel expos.
I1semble donc que la meilleure ((mise en placen sera celle qui, rpondant aux
deux impratifs, avec lappoint dune documentation photographique et typogra-
phique prcise, se composera sans vain mcanisme en un quilibre asymtrique im-
perceptible au grand public.
Costmze: Le mannequin, quil soit synthtique ou prtentions anthropologiques
(genre Muse Grdvin) est toujours un objet, et, ce titre, dessert considrable-
ment le costume prsenter. En plus de leffet distractif quil provoque par son
expression de ((double D immobile, ses dimensions correspondent rarement celles
du costume.
Supports de costumes:
Al Type de bas-relief (intrieur).
Aa Type de bas-relief (extrieur).
B Type ronde-bosse.
Cl Type profil (extrieur).
Ca Type profil (intrieur).
I bois - z carton.
Al Relief (armature)
Aa Relief (shell)
B In the round
Cl Profile (shell)
Ca Profile (armature)
I Wood - 2 Cardboard
Costume dummies.
.Tuile page 113
METHODS OF CASE-DISPLAY USED AT THE MUS E D E L HOMME
Introduch-olz
The standard show case is the type of regular equipment used in the MBske
de IHonime for the third stage of illustration of any subject.
I . the Panel (I m. 93 x I m. IO) which includes a title in black letters (giving the
geographical region), a title in red letters (giving the ethnological group), a 11
map showing the location of the area, a political map, photographs and a printed
account under the following headings : geographic description, political divisions,
living conditions, population.
2. the synthesis display (outstanding characteristics of a civilization) bringing
together anthropology, typical specimens, photographic illustrations and short
Printed descriptions of nzen, social lij and religion. The titlc of the synthesis display,
is in raised letters, shows the ethnological group in red and the geographic
region in white. A synthesis display is a group consisting of five standard cases
round three sides of a square, with one free standing case (cloche) and one
Finally there is the standard case, of larger size which is used to illustrate a geogra-
phic Or political sab-division and a particular people. I t shows in greater detail,
case in the middle of the square.
by ROGER FALCK
I
73

.....
- I*..
A. 8. C. Schma de diffrents moyens de fixation
dun lment de vitrine astandard*.
I Punaises.
z Tringle en cuivre.
3 Fils de laiton.
4 Crochets.
5 Documentation photographique sur plan
inclin.
6 Trou grillag.
61 Tiroir produits anti-parasites.
7 Tablette de signalisation en verre.
8 Trous A lintrieur des montants pour lafixa-
tion des querres.
9 Emplacement des branches du rflecteur.
I Monture en T. Galets sur rails.
z Barre de fixation du panneau.
3 Barre perpendiculaire de fixation.
4 Numro de laface de vitrine.
D. Dtails de lapartie suprieure du panneau mobile :
A. B. C. Different ways of assembling a standard
case
I Drawing pins.
z Metal rod.
3 Brass wires.
4 Hooks.
I Photographic information on inclined plane.
6 Hole with grating.
61 Drawer with insect deterrents.
7 Label-holder (glass).
8 Holes inside the uprights for the fixing of
brackets.
9 Fitting for reflector supports.
I Rail and runners (T).
z Fixed rod.
3 Vertical rod.
4 Panel number.
D. Details of upper part of mobile panel.
74
exhibits illustrating the material and spiritual culture of a particular people. Its title
shows the name of the region, in white, followed by that of the population, in red.
I n order to display exhibits varying greatly in height, size, shape and colour,
we needed a type of case with an interior arranged for logical display and assuring
the preservation of the exhibits. Such a display case was perfected by M. G.- H.
Rivikre, whose skill in this respect as in so many others, is unequalled.
Basic Eqtlipment
The standard case is formed of a metal framework, t m. 70 in height, 3 m. to in
width and I m. tt in depth. This depth provides display areas on either side divided
by two movable panels on runners. The display area of each sidc is divided into two
halves, formed by two metal frames, fastening firmly together and each holding a pane
of plate glass, t m. z t high x I m. 43 wide. Astandard case therefore consists of four
sections. I n the rest of our report we shall refer only to sides and sections. The two
side faces are ofplate glass, z m. 27 x I m. I j ; the topis offrosted glass, 3 m. 17 x I m. tt.
The background of each section is formed by a plywood panel, z m. to in height,
I m. j4 in breadth, and 4 cms. thick, covered with jute cloth. This natural coloured
covering has the advantages of not showing nail marks and of harmonizing with
almost all the exhibits displayed. The fact that the panel is movable makes it possible
for the maximum depth of a section to be 83 cms. and the minimum 3 j cms.; this
allows the volume of a section to be altered, although its exterior surface remains
the same.
The bottom of the case is 3 j cms. from the floor. The ground area of each side is
3 m. 17 x o m. j7, when the dividing panel is in the middle of the case. I n the front
left-hand corner of the floor there is a I O cm. square hole, covered by a grating, to let
in vapour from insect deterrents kept in a hidden drawer 20 cms. long, 6.5 cms. deep
and 14 cms. wide, in the base of the case.
Each section is lighted from the outside by a bulb, with a reflector 60 cms. long,
set at a distance of 40 cms. from the top front of the case.
Inside each section there are, at the top, metal rods pierced by twelve holes, from
which articles may be suspended; these rods are movable and can be fixed through
holes I O cm. apart from one another; there is also a fixed rod running right across
the dividing panel j cm. away from it. On the inside of the uprights of the framework
there is a series of 43 holes, 5 cms. apart from one another, by which different-sized
brackets can be fixed at any desired height to hold plate-glass shelves of the following
sizes (see sketch): I 56 cms. x GI cms. and a narrower shelf 156 cms. x 3 3 cms.; this
makes it possible to have half shelves arranged alternately at the back and front of
the section, as required for the arrangement of the display, so that all theexhibits
can be clearly seen.
The uprights are painted dark grey and, in the inside, all the metal parts and the
floor of the case are painted light grey.
This is the basic equipment. We must now consider the accessories.
Accessories
These are necessary to take full advantage of the flexibility of the standard case.
Plable wires painted black (to avoid their shining), 3/10 mm. 6/10 mm. and
7/10 mm. thick, are passed through the holes in the various rods described above
and make it possible to arrange a network of vertical or slanting wires. Thus all the
exhibits which cannot be placed on the floor of the case or on the shelves may be
hung or supported, These wires are often almost invisible, and by using them, some-
times with the help of a drawing pin, fitted with a hook, stuck into the plywood panel,
any desired exhibit can be suspended. I t is of course most satisfactory when the
method of fixing specimens is not obvious to the visitor. A headless pin stuck through
an arrow in the proper place can support it satisfactorily without showing, so that
the visitor will wonder how it is kept in place.
A problem which is still causing us difficulty is the type of stand to be used and
the most suitable colour, Experiments made with translucent materials, have not
given very satisfactory results and the problem is not entirely solved. The best sort
of stand must be so simple in form and so well adapted to the exhibit to be placed
on it that it passes unnoticed, Its colour ought not to be too much like that of the
exhibit. All the stands and surfaces of sloping planes in one room should be of the
colour. Grey seems a satisfactory shade. When a number of small items require
made of one material, a common stand is to be prcfcrred to having too many
,,parate blocks, which look like shooting booths at fairs. Copper supports, soldered
together and painted grey or beige, should be used for vases but should be hidden
by the curve of the vase.
The scientific specialist in any department, who is the only person qualified to
decide which among the specimens in reserve are thc most representative, selects
the exhibits from the storerooms. The catalogue gives him the numbers of the
,pecimens and all the necessary technical and sociological information about them.
These documents will help him to compose the texts to be shown in the cases, and
labels. This first selection eliminates many specimens, but it is advisable to have more
than the minimum number of exhibits for the arrangement of a section. The number
of exhibits and their spacing vary according to their size or shape. If a section is
overcrowded, its value for demonstration is lessened; if it contains too few items, it
gives an impression of emptiness. One must therefore achieve a happy medium,
cont i med paRe 1x4
L E MU S E T E C H N I Q U E E T S C I E N T I F I Q U E
T H E T E C H N I C A L A N D S C I E N T I F I C MUS E UM
LE PAL AI S DE LA DCOUVERTE
n 1931, des dates trs voisines les unes des autres, plusieurs projets dexposi-
E tion Paris furent soumis au Bureau international de Genve. Lun proposait une
exposition dArts dcoratifs dans lesprit de I 92 j, lautre une exposition de la Coop-
ration intellectuelle, et le troisime une exposition de la vie ouvrire et paysanne.
M. Rimi Berthod, nomm Commissaire gnral, retint les trois projets, chacune
des propositions devenant une section de lexposition. Une Commission consultative
de classification sigea sous la prsidence de M. Franois Carnot, et, non sans diffi-
cults, une place qui navait pas t prvue pour la Science fut nanmoins obtenue.
Lorsque M. Labb eut accept le Commissariat gnral, il reprit la classification
un peu remanie formant un ensemble de 14 groupes, et les trois grands groupes
de laFormation, de lExpression et de la Diffusion de la Pense taient maintenus.
Peut-tre navait-on quune confiance toute relative dans les possibilits de rali-
sation de ces groupes et, somme toute, cela se conoit, car il sagissait dans une large
mesure de prsenter bien plus des ides que des produits ou dcs objets. Voil donc
A peu prs le ((climat )) dans lequel on vivait fin I 93 3, et mme en I 93 4.
Quelques esprits subvcrsifs croyaient possible, sans nuire aux projets des artistes
et aux lgitimes intrts des industriels et des commersants, de donner lexpo-
sition un caractre intellectuel trs net. Chose curieuse, un peu plus tard, parmi les
suggestions resues de gens de condition souvent trs modeste, un grand nombre
proposaient des programmes concernant le progrs du gnie humain, les conditions
dexistence des hommes, le dkvcloppement et les applications des dcouvertes scienti-
fiques. Ces propositions montraient bien lintrt que le public porte la science.
Cest ce quc le regretti Professeur Simiand avait qualifi de ((fait social)). Quon le
Voult ou non, une Exposition de la Mthode et dc la Civilisation venait son heure.
Lexposition de 1900 fut le bilan dunc kpoque de stcuriti. Celle de 1925, une
illusion de prospirit; 1937 devait etrc uiie leson de beaut, de foi et doptimisme.
Par une heureuse fortune, Henry de J ouvenel, ce grand intellectuel, fut nomm
prsident du groupe de lExpression de la Pense. Grdcc lui, ce groupe prit
Immdiatement une ampleur insouponne, et tous ceux qui ont pu en connatre ne
Peuvent se rappeler sans motion ccttc prisidence magnifique, gnreuse et fconde.
Henry de J ouvenel disparut. Leffort quil avait fait durant une anne entire
avait cepoint clarifi la situation et prcis les projets quil snffisait detrc fidle
sa mmoire pour persvrer et russir.
De ce travail considrable les rsultats ont pu Gtre en partie apprcis. Et ce
fut dabord le Palais de la Dkcouvcrte.
Deux annes dun travail ininterrompu ont t ticessaircs pour tncncr lmuvre
bien, Sous la haute direction dune Commission permanente priside par J ean Perrin,
par ANDRI ? LVEI LLI ~,
75
Fragment de sel de cuisine grossi 400.000.000 de fois.
A grain of kitchen salt magnified 400,000,000 times.
76
et compose de: M. Laugier, dlgu du Commissariat gnral et prsident de la
Section de Biologie, M. Georges Urbain, pour la Chimie, M. Emile Borel, pour les
Mathmatiques, M. Esclangon pour lAstronomie, MM. ROUSSY, Gosset et Pasteur
Vallery-Radot pour la Mdecine, la Chirurgie, la Microbiologie, du Secrtaire
Gnral enfin.
Cest avec le dsir dveiller chez tous la curiosit, un intrt passionn pour
la science, et daviver leur dsir de culture scientifique, que fut cr Paris le Palais
de la Dcouverte. I1nest pas prsomptueux de penser que, parmi les j millions /z de
visiteurs de cette Maison de la Science, il sen trouve qui ont senti naltre en eux, ou
se confirmer, une vocation qui sans cela net peut-tre pas eu la possibilit de se
manifester. Peut-tre, sans le Palais de la Dcouverte, quelque grand savant de
lavenir qui 1,011devra lune de ces rvolutions quoi la Science est sujette, et-il
t perdu pour le monde.
Les plus grandes dcouvertes rsultent souvent dun fait de hasard infinie;
encore faut-il quil se trouve, pour y porter suffisante attention, un esprit habitu
observer et capable de stonner propos.
Cest cette attitude dun esprit attentif et critique, soucieux de dterminer le
Pourquoi des choses, que le Palais de la Dcouverte vise B dvelopper.
Et cePalais de la Dcouverte est ouvert tous sans distinction. Quun hasard
en favorise lafirmation, et la vocation scientifique se rdlera brusquement, imp-
rieuse, chez celui que rien, sernblait-il, dans son entourage et sa vie antrieure, ne
destinait suivre cette voie.
A tous, la frquentation du Palais apporte un enseignement, car ((rpandre dans
le public le got de la culture scientifique ne va pas, disait J ean Perrin, sans r-
Pudre en meme temps les qualits de prcision, de probit6 critique et de libertk
de jugement que dveloppe cette culture et qui sont utiles et prcieuses tout homme,
Quelle que soit sa carriere. ))
Quest au juste le Palais de la Dcouverte? A la fois une uvre dimmense en-
vergure de vulgarisation de la Science, ((trait dunion entre les laboratoires et le
gmd public)), un tablissemcnt de haut enseignement scientifique ouvert tous, un
ce mot doit &re compris ici sans aucune nuance pjorative. 11
Dans la salle des nomhrcs x - lart of the x Room.
instrument mis au service de la recherche scientifique.
77
En haut: Lastronomie. Salle des Planktes.
Above: Astronomy. The Planet Room.
A droite: Lescalier de loptique.
Right: The staircase leading toDepartment of Optics.
serait cependant prfrable de le remplacer par le mot de popularisation, dorigine
anglaise, qui a t utilis dans divers congrs intcrnationaux et qui semble exprimer
trs exactement ce dont il sagit.
Cest sans abaisser le niveau de la Science que le Palais de la Dcouverte sest
propos de faire connatre aux masses les grandes conqutes scientifiques du pass
et de les tenir au courant des toutes dernires dcouvertes. Et en ceci rCside la grande
nouveaut; car, sil existait dj de par le monde des muses scientifiques ou plutt
techniques de caractre statique (ce que le Palais de la Dcouverte se dfend dtre),
il nexistait pas dorganisme se proposant dtre en constante volution pour mieux
manifester tous les aspects vivants et actuels de la recherche scientifique dans sa
marche en avant. ((NOLIS avons voulu, a dit J ean Perrin, rendre manifeste et faire
comprendre au public que rien ne fut conquis dans le pass, mais aussi que, dans
lavenir, nous ne pouvons rien esptrer de vraiment nouveau, rien qui change la
destine qui semblait impose aux hommes, que par la recherche scientifique et
par la dcouverte. ))
Le Palais de la Dcouverte, situ dans la partie ouest du Grand Palais des Champs-
Elyses, occupait en 1937, zj. o00 mtres carrs. Lannexe construite spcialement
pour lExposition ayant d tre vacue pour des raisons de scurit en 1942, la
surface occupe actuellement est denviron I 8. o00 mktres carrts.
Linstallation lectrique des circuits-force est assure par une cabine diphas -
I 2. o00 volts, comprenant trois groupes de transformation dune puissance unitaire
de 5 go kw., soit I . 500 kw. de puissance disponible. Linstallation lumire est assure
par une cabine diphas-12.000 volts avec puissance de 500 kw. Lensemble de ces
installations comprend prs de 20 km. de cbles sous tube acier, et de 40 km. de
cbles sous ferrures et poulies porcelaine, dont la section atteint parfois 228 mm.
(La distance de Paris Versailles est de I 8 km., celle de Paris
Lquipement en eau, gaz, air comprim reprsente 2.120 m. de tuyaux, soit un
poids total de I O. 650 kilos.
Les nombreux appareils ou objets scientifiques, les collections, les diapositifs,
clichs, photos sont pour la plupart (84% environ), la proprit du Palais de la
Dcouverte; IG yo des objets ou appareils ont tt prt& par des tablissements publics
ou privs et par des personnes qui ont gtnralement renouvel leurs prts la fin
de lexposition, ou les ont transforms en dons.
Un atelier de mcanique de haute prcision et un atelier de menuiserie, sous la
direction de chefs dateliers, permettent au Palais de la Dcouverte dassurer lentre-
Melun de 40 km.)
8%
tien des appareils, le montage dexpriences nouvelles, lamnagement des salles
gu cours des transformations constantes ncessites par le programme scientifique
ou par laprparation des expositions temporaires.
parcourant les nombreuses salles de cette ((exposition vivante,), le visiteur
eut voir rpter journellement dcvant ses yeux les dcouvertcs scientifiques ((sous
P
forme dexpriences spectaculaires, mais rigoureuses, ct avec lcs ressourccs les plus
tandis que des expositions temporaires exercent son csprit la fois la
et la synthse en lui prsentant les dcouvertcs dans leur enchanement,
Dans les 5 3 salles comprenant les Sections de Mathmatiques, Astronomie,
physique, Chimie, Biologie, Mdecine, Microbiologie et bientt Histoire des Sciences,
des dmonstrateurs choisis non seulement pour leurs connaissances scientifiques,
pour leur aptitude les prsenter au public, ralisent 400 expriences sous les
yeux des visiteurs ou commentent des prsentations.
Dans la Section de Mdecine, les explications sont donnes par des internes des
hpitaux. Dans la salle de Biomitrie humaine, les jeunes visiteurs sont ravis de
pouvoir faire fonctionner eux-mmes lcs appareils de tests. Dans lune des salles des
Mathmatiques, chaque jour deux nonces nouveaux de ricrations mathmatiques
sont prsents aux visiteurs; le lendemain, ils y trouvent les solutions.
En priode de fonctionnement normal, les expkriences, dmonstrations ou con-
fkrences ont lieu heure fixe et sont calcules de telle sorte quil ny ait pas dattente
dune salle lautrc. (Une visite absolument complte du Palais en plein fonctionne-
ment nkcessite prs de I I heures). Un guide polyglotte accompagne les visiteurs ou
les groupes qui en font la demande. Des itinraires sont prpars suivant le degr
dinitiation des visiteurs. De plus, il a t Ctabli une liste spciale dexpriences
correspondant aux programmes de lenseignement primaire supkrieur et de len-
seignement secondaire.
I1est un exemple qui frappe les visiteurs : dans la salle de llectricit est ralise
lexpkrience de Faraday concernant la gnration dun courant rellement continu
par la rotation dun aimant cylindrique autour de son axe avec frotteur fixe. En face,
se trouve une grande dynamo unipolaire de jo.000 ampres qui est la stricte appli-
cation de cctte dcouverte de Faraday. Quelle preuve plus ividente peut-on donner
auxvisiteurs que les expkriences de laboratoires ne sont pas simples rgals de savants,
mais quelles sont souvent la sourcc de richesses incalculables et bienfaisantes ?
Depuis dix ans, diverses mthodes de prsentation retiennent lattention des
visiteurs et Cveillrnt leur curiosit en usant de la couleur, de limage, des textes, des
experiences et des conimentaircs verbaux.
Suite page I I J
Salle de mtcnnique. -
/
The Mechanics Room.
79
THE PALAI S D E L A
DECOUVERTE
by ANDRB L A V E I L L
Les applications de la mCcanique ondulatoire A la
chimie thbrique.
Wavc mechanics applied to theoretical chemistry.
80
n 193 I, at several different dates closely following one another, ,various projects
I for Expositions in Paris were submitted to the International Bureau at Geneva.
One was for anExposition ofDeCorative Art like that of 192j, another was for an
Exposition on Intellectual Co-operation, and a third wasg for an exposition on the
lives of workers and peasants.
M. Aim Berthod, who had been appointed Commissioner-General, agreed to
these three projects, each of which became a section of the Exposition. An Advisory
Classification Commission met under the chairmanship of M. FranGois Carnot, and,
with some difficulty, a place was secured for science, which had not bccn provided
for. When M. LabbC accepted the post of Commissioner-General, he took the work
of classification in hand in a somewhat different way, and arranged for a general ex-
hibition consisting of fourteen groups of subjects. The three major groups - the
Formation, Expression, and Dissemination of Thought - were maintained.
Therc was, perhaps, no very great confidence that these groups would be ef-
fective; and this was understandable, for it was to a large extent a question of present-
ing ideas rather than objects or products. Such was, more or less, the atmosphere
obtaining at the end of 1933, and even in 1934.
Some rebellious elements felt that, without prejudicing the projects affecting
artists, or the rightful interests of industrialists and business men, the Exposition
could be invested with a definitely intellectual character. Somewhat later, curiously
enough, many people, often in quite modest positions, suggested as programmes the
progress of human genius, the living conditions of man, and the development and
application of scientific discoveries. These proposals were clear evidence of thc
publics interest in science. They were what the late Professor Simiand called the
Social Fact. Wanted or unwanted, the time was ripe for an Exposition on Method
and Civilization.
The 1900 Exhibition had marked an era of security; that of 1925, one of illusory
prosperity, That of 1937 was to be a lesson in beauty, confidence and optimism.
By a stroke of luck, that great intellectual Henry de J ouvenel was appointed Chair-
man of the Group for Expression of Thought. Thanks to him, this Group at once
developed to a surprising degree, and none who had any experience of it can ever
forget his inspiring, magnanimous and fruitfal chairmanship.
Henry de J ouvenel disappeared. But his efforts over a whole year had so clarified
the position and defined the character of the projects that merely to follow in his
footsteps was to persevere and succeed. The results of this vast amount of work have
to some extent been recognized. Foremost among them is the Pa1ai.r de la Rdcouverte.
Two years of uninterrupted work were needed to brhg the project to fruition.
I t took place under the direction of a Permanent Commission, presided over by J ean
Perrin, and consisting of M. Laugier, Delegate of the Commissariat-General and
Chairman of the Biology Section; M. Georges Urbain, for Chemistry; M. Emile Borel,
for Mathematics; M. Esclangon, for Astronomy; MM. RUSSY, Gosset and Pasteur
Vallery-Radot for Medicine, Surgery and Microbiology; and the Secretary-General.
The Palais de la Dkouverte was set up in Paris with the object of arousing
among the general public a curiosity and a keen interest in science, and stimulating
their desire for scientific culture. I t is no exaggeration to say that, among the five
and a half millions who have visited this House of Science, there are some who, as a
result have developed, or been reinforced in, a sense of scientific vocation which they
otherwise would never have experienced. Who knows but that, had it not been for
the Palais de la Dcouverte, some great scientist of the future, perhaps responsible
for one of those revolutions that occur in science, might have been lost to the world.
The greatest discoveries are often a mere matter of chance; but they do require
a mind that is trained to observe and ready to be amazed at the right moment.
I t is just this observant and critical attitude, concerned to discover the why and
wherefore of things, that the Palais de la Dcouverte was set up to encourage.
And the Palais de la Dcouverte is open to all, without class or any other dis-
tinction. If the right occasion is provided, a scientific vocation will suddenly and
imperatively reveal itself in one whose environement and antecedents never suggested
such a path.
A visit to the Palais is a lesson for all. As J ean Perrin said: A taste for scientific
continuesdpoierr6 culture cannot be spread among the public unless a taste for the qualities of
MUS E S D E LA V I L L E D E P A R I S
COLLECTI ONS
MUNI CI PAL M U S E U M S
MUNI CI PALE S DE PARI s
es collections des muses municipaux ont t, pour la plupart, mises labri en
L 1939, ainsi que les vitraux, les tablcaux e: les statues, et les divers objets les plus
11ne demeura dans les muskes que des objets de second ordre ou des pibces diffi-
ciles vacuer en raison de leur volume ou de leur poids, comme le grand bouddah
en bronze du Muse Cernuschi, et, au Petit Palais, un bas-relief de Carpeaux, des
La fermeture des muses, le vide laiss dans les locaux par labsence des col-
lections auraient permis en dautrcs temps la ralisation dun programme de remise en
tat, avant le retour des aeuvres. Le retour des collectioiis aurait pu ainsi donner lieu
g de vastes opkrations musographiques dans des locaux moderniss, quips selon
les mthodes les plus rcentes dj appliques, par exemple, au Muse du Louvre ct
au Muse de lHomme, ou la National Gallery de Washington.
Mais devant ce revc se dressait linsurmontable barrire des rkalitks. Aprs la
Libration, le dfaut de moyens financiers et de matires premires a entrav cons-
tructions nouvelles et travaux. I1ntait pas, il nest toujours pas humainement pos-
sible denvisager toutes les amliorations dsirables pour linstallation des uvres
dart, alors que tant de Parisiens demeurent sans logis ou sont logs dans des con-
ditions trs mauvaiscs, que tant de travaux abandonns du fait de la guerre demeurent
en souffrance et que les monuments historiques exigent des soins immdiats pour
survivre.
Tels quils taient en 1945, les muses se trouvaient en tat daccueillir leurs
collections peu prs dans les conditions o elles se trouvaient en 1939. Le
public avait hte de les revoir. On commena ds 1941 prockder leur remise
en place.
La plupart de nos muses municipaux nont pas t construits lusage de muse.
Carnavalet est un hdtel, pourvu il est vrai de vastes annexes. Cernuschi est galement
un htel particulier. La maison de Victor Hugo, Cognacq-J ay sont aussi de simples
habitations, plus ou moins transformes. Linconvnient prksent par des locaux
comme ceux de Carnavalet, conus pour lhabitation ou pour les rceptions, fait
quils se prtent parfois difficilement lexposition des objets. La prsentation doit
ainsi se plier aux exigences des lieux dans la partie historique des btiments.
Maints problmes sont ainsi poss pour les conservateurs. Le maintien dcs lieux
dans leur tat ancien, le rapport entre la partie ancienne et les constructions plus
rcentes exigent une expricncc de la maison et des collections, une mesure et un qui-
libre auxquels on na pu arriver quavec le temps. Car si les locaux ont leurs exigences,
laPrsentation logique et rationnelle de lhistoire de Paris a aussi les siennes, elle
impose un ordre rigoureux, et la visite de Carnavalet doit se faire comme on tourne
les feuillets dun livre.
Leffort du conservateur, M. Fransois Boucher, se porta sur des questions
#clairage, de nettoyage des locaux et dm mvres. Ici on ouvrit une fentre, l on
une chemine, ailleurs un plafond fut modifi. Fhsuite il fut procd une
redistribution des collcctions, de manire serrer de plus prs lordre chronologique.
Certaines sections durent ainsi etre entitrement dkplackes.
Au XIXe sicle, les muses historiques avaient facilement tendance tomber
dans le bric--brac la Goncourt, avec le got du clair-obscur et de lencombrement.
I est encore ncessaire de lutter sans cesse contre cc genrc dcueils, quil faut com-
battre Par la nettet, les fonds clairs, lakration, lalumire, afin dviter tout prix le
Poussireux du pass. Une nouvelle prsentation des tableaux de Carnavalet,
presentation beaucoup plus are, exigeant une cimaise plus considrable, rendit in-
dispensables dautres modifications et vint souligner lexigut dcs locaux, trop petits
par Y V ON BI ZA RDEL
des difices religieux appartenant la Ville de Paris.
gantes de Bourdelle: la Vierge, la maquette de 1Alvar questre.
Pour tant de richesses. 81
Atelic
au ret
Resto
at the
82
r de restauration de la Ville dc Paris, en 1941,
our des ceuvres vacues.
ration Workshop of the City of Paris in 1945,
return of works which had been evacuated.
Contrairement Carnavalet, le musc Victor Hugo, honnte maison construite
sous Henri I V pour des bourgeois cossus, ne comporte aucune partie moderne. A ses
murs, un grand nombre de tableaux, de dessins et de gravures doivent trouver leur
place. Le mobilier de Victor Hugo, dautre part, doit faire bon mnage avec les
vitrines, afin que le niusite laisse la maison son atmosphre dintimit.
Une fois retrouv le compromis entre le muse et le logis, le conservateur,
M. J ean Sergent, se contenta de rinstaller les collections aprs avoir procd des
nettoyages, des restaurations et des modifications dc dittail, en particulier aprks
avoir remplac par du contreplaqu les tentures murales dtriores.
Le muse de la Place des Vosges possde une annexe: Hauteville Hozue, demeure
de Victor Hugo Guernesey. L, aucune question de remise en place ne se posait.
Rien navait boug ; Hauteville Home, situe en territoire britannique, navait pas i t
vacui-e et continua tre visitie pendant Ioccupition allemande de lle. Dautre part,
i dl e modification nktait souhaitable, car Hauttuille Home reprsente lexemple
unique de la maison dun homme clbre, enti&rement amnage par ses soins,
daprs ses conceptions personnelles ct sur ses dessins, quand les arrangements ne
sont pas sortis de ses propres mains. Depuis Victor Hugo, aucune modification na
t apporte aux lieux.
Hauteville Home reprksente le cas typique dun muse ((immobile N.
Le niuse Cognacq-J ay laisse galement trks peu de jeu dans la prsentation.
Meubles et tableaux ont dj leur place peu prs arrte, conditionne par les pan-
neaux de boiseries ; pendules et candlabres ont la leur sur les chemines. Pour rinstal-
ler le muse il a suffi de retrouver peu prs lemplacement des objets, avec des vari-
antes insignifiantes. I1 fallait avant tout conserver ce muse son caractkre de collec-
tion particulire dun amateur, son harmonie de meubles lgers, de bibelots, de toiles
et de sculptures de petites dimensions.
Le muse Cernuschi bnficie depuis la guerre dune situation nouvelle. M. Ren
Grousset, son conservateur, assurant en meme temps les fonctions de conservateur
du muse Guimet, les deux muses orientalistes sont mme de procder A une re-
distribution des collections sous une direction unique, chacun en retirant une spcia-
lisation mieux dtermine, plus rationnelle que par le pass, ct dont des articles
separs rendront compte.
Deux seuls de nos muses ont t construits dans le but dtermin dexposer des
objets dart: le Petit Palais et Galliera.
Mais si le but tait dterminb, les objets exposer ltaient moins, car la duchesse
de Galliera fit difier son muse pour abriter des collections quelle lgua finalement
a laVille de Gnes, et elle offrit Paris un muse vide. Laffectation de cet difice
lart dcoratif Gtant toujours demeure un peu flottante, il ne sert gure qua des expo-
sitions temporaires.
Le Petit Palais, lui, bti en 1900 loccasion de lExposition universelle, se
trouva primitivement destin renfermer uniquement lart contemporain. I1devait
&tre un muse du Luxembourg municipal. Mais il &ait peine termin que la Ville
senrichissait de la collection Dutuit. La maison prit alors un caractre nouveau, puis-
que, pour aboutir lart contemporain, ses collections partaient dsormais des an-
tiques, des vases ktrusques, et des tanagras, en passant par des peintures des coles
flamande et hollandaise. Au lieu de se cantonner dans les tableaux et dans la sculpture,
le Petit Palais allait abriter une varit considrable daeuvres dart, des porcelaines,
des mdailles, des livres, des bijoux, des ckramiques, des estampes.
Pour le Petit Palais, la question de sa rinstallation tait complexe. Seul muse de
la Ville de Paris occupt: par lennemi, il avait t aussi le seul se trouver endommag
par les combats de la Libration, Pendant que les ouvriers procdaient son net-
toyage et sa restauration, ses immenses collections lui taient restitues. Elles sont
assez importantes pour occuper des locaux trois et quatre fois plus vastes que le
Petit Palais.
Mais au moment o rentraient les collections, se posait pour 1Etat la question
du Louvre, o des travaux considrables arrCtts par la guerre empchaient dexposer
les uvres de lcole franaise. Or, aprks les cruelles annes de guerre, il importait
de prsenter Paris les chefs-dmuvre de la peinture fransaise. Cetait rendre la
Rxnce la conscience de sa grandeur sous une de ses formes les plus sduisantes.
Les collections du Petit Palais, si varies par les Gcoles et les lments, devaient
donc seffacer dans le commun effort du pays tout entier et de la Ville de Paris en
particulier, pour mettre au premier plan la gloire de nos peintres.
La prsentation en fut faite par M. Andr Chamson dans un esprit compltement
nouveau, qui distinguait deux grands courants: celui de la grandeur e? celui du
charme. Les peintres de la ralit entraient dans la premire catgorie, depuis lunivers
ch.r&ien du Moyen Age jusqu Manet, en passant par Le Nain, Poussin, Chardin,
David, Gricault, Ingres, Delacroix, Corot, Courbet et Daumier. I da deuxime cati-
gorie comprenait le Moyen Age courtois, lcole de Fontainebleau, Le Sueur, Wat-
teau~Boucher, Fragonard, Greuze.
11Y a toujours un peu darbitraire dans une discrimination aussi stricte dune
grande cole en deux catgories. Mais la science, le got et le talent permettent aux
de se tirer de toutes les difficults, et la prsentation de lcole fransaise
au Petit 1alais en donna la preuve clatante au public bloui.
Alors que les pcintures de la premire catdgorie taient prsentes sans aucun
arrangement, dans la plus grande simplicit dont les qualits daccrochage faisaient
toutelavaleur, les peintures de la deuxikme catgorie, celle du charme et de la grce,
Prsentes dans lambiance qui leur convenait, dans des dGcors de boiseries,
de tentures prcieuses, parmi les meubles, les objets dart, les porcelaines, voire les
reliures contemporaines des tableaux, mariage exquis de lart dcoratif et de lart.
.
Parfois mme le secours dun bouquet navait pas t ddaign, fleurs et mobiliers
venant concourir lenchantement de lensemble, souligner le cht humain de nos
vieux matres, faire entrer le public dans la vie de leur temps.
Reprenant une belle tradition davant la guerre, le Petit Palais fut galement
choisi pour abriter lexposition des Trsors de Vienne. Cette exposition donna lieu
galement des efforts de prsentation considrables et particulirement russis.
Les difices religieux sont gnralement en France la proprit des communes.
A part Notre-Dame, proprit nationale, et quelques glises sans grand intrt
artistique, la Ville de Paris possde la majorite des glises catholiques, des temples
protestants et des synagogues, dont elle surveille lentretien, sous le contrdle du Ser-
vice des Monuments historiques, quand lglise est classe en partie ou en totalit.
Au dbut de la guerre, lorsque les Oeuvres dart furent vacues des glises, une
cinquantaine de sculptures religieuses trouvrent un abri sr au coeur mme de Paris,
dans la profondeur des cryptes de Saint-Sulpice. Aprs la Libration, avant de les
restituer aux glises, ces sculptures, acuvres de Germain Pilon, dEdme Bouchardon,
de Coysevox, de Pigalle, de Falconet, de Pajou, de Le Moyne, de Coustou, de HOU-
don, de Barye, de Rude, furent montres au public dans leur abri mme et sans le
moindre apprt, muse phmre, ouvert peine pour quelques semaines.
Certaines statues de labbaye de Westmicster taient prsentes au mme moment
au public anglais, et passrent par le Victoria and Albert Ma.reum avant de regagner
les tombeaux et les niches de labbaye.
Lexposition dans les cryptes de Saint-Sulpice neut quun mrite : cest dap-
porter aux auvres une atmosphre inconnue, celle des catacombes, et dtre dune
sincrit totale, car les statues conservrent leurs places dans leurs abris vots; on
se contenta de les Cclairer.
En ce qui concerne les tableaux des glises, ils sont gnralement lobjet de
moins de soins que ceux des muses, On ny touche pas sans raison majeure et ils
demeurent de longues annes exposs la poussire et i la fume des cierges.
A leur retour Paris, profitant de leur sjour sur la terre, les Services des Monu-
ments historiques, sous limpulsion de M. J ean Verrier, et ceux de la Ville de Paris,
unirent leurs efforts pour les nettoyer, et quand ils en avaient besoin, les rentoiler
ou les transposer.
Ils furent ainsi tudis loisir, En dehors des opirations matrielles, ils bn-
ficirent de recherches qui permirent de les mieux connatre, de modifier maintes
attributions errones. Cest ainsi que les nettoyages permirent de retrouver des
dates et des signatures, par exemple celle de Luca Giordano ou celle de Claude Vignon Suite page I l 7
THE MUNI CI PAL COL L ECTI ONS OF PARI S
by Y voN B I Z A R D E L
he collections of the municipal museums were, for the most part, removed to safety
T in 1937, as were the stained-glass windows, paintings, statues and other objects
of great value from the religious buildings belonging to the City of Paris. There
remained in the museums only less valuable objects, or those which were difficult to
evacuate by reason of their size or weight, such as the great bronze Buddha of the
Mwe CernMschi, and at the Petit PalaiJ, a Carpeaux bas-relief and the giant statues,
the Virgin, and the Alvear equestrian model by Bourdelle.
I n ordinary times, the closing of the museums and emptying of the buildings
by the removal of their collections would have permitted carrying out a programme
of restoration before reinstallation of the works. Their return would then have been
the occasion for a large-scale museographical undertaking, in modernized premises,
equipped according to the latest methods - an enterprise already carried out, for
example, in the Made dcl Louvre, in the Made de IHomnze, and in the National
Gallery of Washington.
Facts, however, raised an insurmountable barrier to the realization of this
dream. After the Liberation, lack of the necessary funds and raw materials hampered
new building and other work. With so many Parisians still homeless, while so
much work abandoned because of the war awaits doing, and historical monuments
demand immediate care to ensure their preservation, it was not, and still is not,
humanly possible to consider undertaking all the improvements to be desired in the
housing of works fart.
The museums, in 194j, could receive their collections back in approximately
he Sameconditions as in 1939. The public was impatient to see them again. Their
Most of our municipal museums were not built as such. The Carnavalet is
mansion with, it is true, extensive annexes. The Cerntlschi is also a privatemansion.
Victor Hugos house and the Cognacq-Jay, again, are ordinary dwellings more or less
converted. The drawback of premises such as those of the Carnavalet, designed for
private living or for entertaining, is that they are sometimes ill adapted to the ex-
hibition of museum pieces. Display technique has to conform to the exigencies of
the premises in the historic part of the building.
The preservation of these places in their original state presents many problems
for curators. The right relation between old parts and later additions calls for
experience of the house and the collections, for discretion and judgement only
attainable with timc. For if the buildings make demands, so does the logical and
systematic presentation of the history of Paris. This imposes a strict order: a visit to
the Carnavalet should be like turning over the pages of a book.
The efforts of the curator, Franois Boucher, were directed to matters of light-
ing, and to the cleaning of the premises and specimens. A window was pierced here,
a fireplace moved there, a ceiling altered elsewhere. Then followed a redistribution
of the collections in order to observe a stricter chronological order. The location of
certain sections had to be entirely changed.
I n the ninetecnth century, historical museums tended to slip easily into the
accumulation of bric--brac la Goncourt, with a taste for chiaroscuro and
overcrowding. This kind of pitfall has still to be constantly guarded against and
must be combated with cleanliness, bright backgrounds, ventilation and light so
as to avoid, at any cost, the former dusty effect. A new display of the Carnavaftt
pictures, much more spacious, made other modifications necessary, and the
result was to emphasize the lack of space in premises too small to contain such
treasures.
Unlike the Carnavalet, the Mue Victor Hz4go0, a solid house built in the reign of
Henri I V for a wealthy bourgeois, contains no modern parts. A large number of pic-
on its walls. On the other
if the house is to
was begun immediately.
tures, drawings and engravings have to be
hand, Victor Hugos furniture must not
retain its intimate atmosphere.
continued pug# r r7
LE MUSE CARNAVAL ET (1945-1948)
ininstaffation
R La rinstallation des collections du Muse Carnavalet, vacues pendant les
cinq annCes de guerre et doccupation, sest poursuivie depuis 1941 et a permis ce
jour la rouverture de cinquante salles, dont vingt-cinq ornes de boiseries des
XVIIe et XVIIIe sicles: on a pu ainsi prsenter lensemble des objets intressant
lhistoire de Paris du XVIe sicle la fin du XVIIIe sicle, ainsi quune partie des
Costumes du XVIIe sicle 19 14.
Douze salles sont en cours de rinstallation pour les objets datant de 1800 au
Second Empire. Dans quelques mois, treize autres salles, dont plusieurs ornkes de
boiseries, pourront etre rouvertes et rkserves aux objets relatifs au XVI I r sicle ct
lancienne tnunicipalit parisienne.
Enfin, ds lachvement de travaux en cours, il sera possible de prksenter, dans
lannexe de la rue Payenne, les collections de prkhistoire et darchologie, des origines
l~squau XVIc sicle, qui navaient pas t montres depuis plusieurs annes.
A ce moment Sera expos lensemble des objets se rapportarit lhistoire de
Paris, depuis les origines jusquau milieu du XIXe sicle.
Prisentatioti
par AFR A N O I S B O U c H E R
On sest cfibrc, au cours de cette rkinstallation, dappliquer le plus strictement
I o repartir les objets dans les sallcs selon lordre chronologique des CvCneinents ;
Possible les rkgles suivantes :
r
86
MI J SE CARNIVALET.
Collections de la Rtvvlution : Nouvelle prsentation.
Collections of Revolutionary Ierind : Ncw display.
2~ prsenter ces objets avec le plus despacement possible, jamais sur plus de
o rserver les salles principales aux objets dintrt majeur, historique ou
deux ranges en hauteur ;
artistique ;
4o grouper les objets dintbret secondaire dans les galeries annexes ;
I o amliorer la dkoration dun certain nombre de salles par lemploi de tissus.
Tj-Maux scientz3qaes
rtablissement dun inventaire scientifique comprenant des fiches principales
Wec photographies des objets, des fiches secondaires de references-matires et des
dossiers annexes, a t achev pour toutes les sries principales (peintures, dessins,
sculptures, boiseries, mobilier, enseignes, armes), ainsi que pour lensemble de la
section archologique, soit environ 3 1.000 objets. I1est poursuivi pour les autres
series et est presque achev pour les pitces de rserve du Cabinet des Estampes et les
series principales du Cabinet de Numismatique. I1est en cours pour les collections de
costumes.
Documentation contemporaine
Le Cabinet des Estampes a reu plusieurs milliers dpreuves photographiques
relatives au fonctionnement des divers services publics de la Ville de Paris, aux
Cvtnements de loccupation et de la libration de Paris, ainsi quaux oprations de
transformation de certains quartiers anciens.
Cette documentation, poursuivie en liaison avec la Prefecture de la Seine, doit
&tendre aux vnements contemporains de lhistoire de Paris.
THE MUSEE CARNAVALET (1945-1948)
by FRA NCOI S BOUCHER
et ur n of Collections
R The reinstallation of the collections of the Md e Carnavalet, which were
evacuated during the five years of war and occupation, has been going on since 1945.
Up to the present we have been able to reopen fifty rooms, twenty-five of which were
adorned with seventeenth and eighteenth century panelling. We are thus able to display
al l the material interesting for the history of Paris from the sixtecnth to the end of
the eighteenth century as well as part of the costumes collection, from the seven-
teenth century to the year I y 14.
Twelve rooms are at present being prepared for displays dating from 1800 to the
Second Empire. I n a few months time, it will be possible to reopen another thirteen
lmms for the display of cxhibits of the sevcntccnth century and of the old munici-
pality of Paris, scveral of which are panelled.
Finally, as soon as the work at present in progress is completed, it will be pos-
sible to display, in the Annex in the rue Payenne, collections of prehistory and
archaeology dating from the earliest times to the sixteenth century, which have not
been shown for many years.
The entire collection, illustrating the history of Paris from the earliest times to
the middle of the nineteenth century, will then be on view.
OiSplg ofExbibits
following rules :
In rearranging the collections, we have tried as far as possible to observe the
1. to distribute the exhibits in tlie gallerics according to the chronological order
2- to give each exhibit as much space as possible, avoiding more than two
3. to reserve the principal rooms for exhibits of major historical or artistic interest;
4. to arrange exhibits of lesser interest in the side galleries ;
of events;
rows of pictures;
to use fabric wall coverings to improve some of the rooms.
Sdentgc work
A scientific inventory (cotlsisting of master index cards with photographs of the
objects, subsidiary index cards giving references by subject, and supplementary files
contintred page r r J
87
LE PETI T PALAI S
par SU ZA NNE K AHN a venue Paris des ((Trsors du Muste de Vienne)) a pos pour le Petit Palais,
L o ils devaient tre prsents, un certain nombre de problmes musogra-
phiques. Ctait la premire fois, depuis lexposition du Prado Genve, quun
grand muse europen entreprenait une ((tourne)); il fallait lui organiser un cadre
digne de lui.
Le double circuit des salles du Petit Palais permettait de conserver, dans les
salles intricures, les chefs-dceuvre de la peinture franaise du Louvre et de con-
sacrer les salles extrieures au Muse de Vienne, les deux expositions ayant chacune
leur entrte indpendante. La srie des tapisseries commandes par Fransois Ier au
Primatice fut prsente dans un large couloir obscur cherchant rappeler la galcrie
de Fontaineblcau. Ce ntait pas une reconstitution historique mais lvocation dune
atmosphtre.
Larmature de cette galerie, en tubes mtalliques, fut tendue de jute ignifug,
sur lequel on accrocha les tentures. Le fond des murs ainsi constitus, de mme que
le plafond, taient de couleur sombre. Lclairage par tubes luminescents, aux
couleurs soigneusement choisies et rparties afin de ne pas changer le coloris des
(riivres exposes, tait dirig sur les tapisseries de faSon quelles seules soient clai-
res. Cette antichambre des Valois tait garnie de prcieux objets dart ayant ap-
partenu la famille royale de France. Disposs dans des vitrines claires intrieure-
ment et invisiblement par des tubes luminescents, ils rayonnaient au centre de la
galerie.
Afin daugmenter la longueur des cimaises et aussi de diminuer les reflets, dcs
alvoles pans coups furent amnages pour les peintures dans les galeries claires
LA GAI.FRIE vALOTS. Effet des tubcs lumines-
cents sur la tapisserie du Pritiiatice.
THE V*r.ors GALLERY. The Primaticci0 tapestries
displayed wit!) fluorescent tubular lighting.
latkralement par de hautes fentres. Des tissus de matire et de tons diflkrents, suivant
les uvres accroches, furent choisis pour servir de fond. A la lumire du jour sajou-
pait ]clairage artificiel dirig, suivant un certain angle, sur les chefs-deuvre. Le
pourtour dune rotonde descalier fut entirement tendu de tapisseries, toutes dor
tissbes, violemment claires par des projecteurs placs au plafond.
Tous ces dispositifs, que lon sefforcera encore damliorer, serviront la nou-
velle prsentation des collections permanentes du Petit Palais : collection Dutuit, col-
lection Tuck, collections municipales qui vont incessamment etre installbes dans les
salles laisses libres par I C dpart des Trsors de Vienne.
en the Treasures of the Viennese Museum were brought to Paris, we,
Wh Curators of the Petit 1ului-r where they were to t e shown, found ourselves faced
with a number of museographical problems.
It was the first time, since the exhibition from the Prado was shown at Geneva,
that an important European museum had gone on tour, and we had to devise a
setting worthy of it.
The arrangement of the Petit Palai-r, with its two series of rooms, made it
possible to keep the Louvres collection of Masterpieces of French Painting in the
inner rooms and to use thc outer galleries for the Viennese Museum, each exhibition
having its own entrance. The set of tapestries which Franois I had made by Primatic-
cio was displayed in a wide, dimly-lit corridor, reminiscent of the gallery at Fontaine-
bleau. Our aim was not to reconstruct their historic setting but to create a similar
atmosphere.
The tubular metal framework of this gallery was covered with fireproofed jute
cloth, on which the tapestries were hung. The luminescent lighting was so arranged
that only the tapestries were illuminated; the colours were carefully chosen and dis-
tributed so as not to affect the tones of the works exhibited. This Valois anteroom
was adorned with valuable works of art formerly belonging to the French royal
family. Arranged in glass cases lighted from within by concealed fluorescent tubes,
these treasures glowed brightly down the centre of the gallery.
THE PETI T PALAI S
by SU ZA NNE KAFI N
twtnmw/ p q e I r 8 88
LE MUSE CERNUSCHI
e I I mai I 896 mourait Henri Cernuschi, conomiste et mcne dorigine milanaise
devenu tout Franais dadoption, cur gnreux, grand libral, grand dmo-
crate, grand Europen, qui, fix depuis de longues annes Paris, avait fait construire,
en bordure du Parc Monceau, un somptueux htel pour y abriter dimportantes
collections chinoises et japonaises, en grande partie rapportes par lui dun voyage
en Extrme-Orient.
Par testament, Henri Cernuschi lguait magnifiquement sa chkre Ville de Paris
immeuble et collections, la dotant ainsi, comme Emile Guimet allait le faire pour
retat, dun riche muse dart extrme-oriental, art pour lequel lintrt venait pr-
cisment de sveiller chez nous.
Lensemble runi par Henri Cernuschi portait, comme il est naturel, la marque
du temps o il fut constitu. Lart de la Chine se rvlait forcment lEurope par
ses uvres les plus rcentes: lart des ciseleurs des poques Ming et Tsing, ch0
attard de celui des fondeurs de la Chine archaque, blouissait par une matrise
technique et une fantaisie qui, dans notre ignorance des hautes poques, semblaient
memeilleusement originales. Ajoutons toutefois, pour tre juste, que lartiste clair
qutait notre fondateur sest aussi montr souvent trks en avance sur son temps et
que nous lui devons plusieurs pices hautement archaques comme la grande cuve
de bronze des Royaumes Combattants, dont lacquisition dnote chez lui une rare
divination archologique.
Dans limmense salon dHenri Cernuschi, ?i lombre du grand bouddha de
bronze provenant de Mguro et qui y figure encore aujourdhui, salignaient, en
deux rangs de vitrines superposes, vases, statuettes, animaux ralistes ou monstrueux,
qui, si nous en jugeons par les photographies de Nadar, risquaient de produire sur
les non initis une impression de richesse un peu excessive, une sensation dexotisme
parfois dconcertante. Musographie de lpoque des Goncourt qui, dailleurs, ne
manquait pas de pittoresque et est entre dans lhistoire avec tout le style dcoratif
des [cannes 80)).
En 1905, avec la nomination dH. dArdenne de Tizac au poste de conservateur,
lemuse commensa prendre une vie nouvelle, commande par la ((rvolution de
la sinologie contemporaine)). Au dbut de notre XXe sicle, en effet, les tudes
sinologiques entreprises par les savants occidentaux, notamment les explorations
. en Chine dgdouard Chavannes, faisaient connatre la vritable antiquit chinoise dont
la splendeur et la varit allaient rapidement faire oublier la Chine de paravent, jusque-
seule accessible. Temps heureux o chaque anne apportait une nouvelle dcou-
Vertervlant un pass de plus en plus recul: lastatuaire bouddhique des poques
Wei, Souei et Tang, la sculpture funraire et la poterie des Han, des Six Dynasties
et des Tang, les bronzes et les jades archaques. Cefut limmense mrite dH. dAr-
de Tizac (un des hommes de notre temps qui eurent le plus davenir dans
lesprit) de saisir immdiatement lintrt capital dune telle rvlation. Ajoutons quil
fut en tout cela admirablement soutenu par son ami Victor Goloubew, de grand
seigneur de larchologie asiatique)), par notre cher Hackin, qui allait prsider au
destin du Muse Guimet: par Victor Sgalen et par J ean Lartigue, ces dcux derniers
dgdouard Chavannes dont ils devaient poursuivre, en Chine, les magni-
fiques dcouvertes.
Pendant un quart de sicle - dans les annes, prcisment, o lon pouvait
acqurir facilement des chefs-daeuvre - le conservateur du Muse Cernuschi en-
richit Sans se lasser ses collections de nombreux spcimens des hautes poques, crant
Paris leP h important ensemble de statuettes funraires Han et Tang et runissant
des series capitales de bronzes et de jades archaques. Le Muse Cernuschi devint
ainsi un muste de haute archtologie chinoise.
Mais CCs nouvelles acquisitions restaient disposes dans le cadre, maintenant
quelque Peu dsuet, dun htel particulier, selon IC got maintenant jug trop somp-
tueux de lafin du XlXc sicle. La grande salle avait conserv son aspect de jadis
les objets archaques taient exposs dans les petits salons adjacents ainsi quau

par RENB GROUSSET

SALI
THE
.E DU GRAND BOUDDIIA. Disposition aflCiCflflC.
GREAT BGDDHA ROOM as it was formcrly.
rez-de-chausse. Seules des vitrines neuves taient venues, grce dArdenne de
Tizac, apporter un note plus moderne; cesont dailleurs celles qui subsistent encore
actuellement, vitrines murales en mtal et glace, petites cloches et vitrines montes
sur des tables de bois sombre aux lignes simples. DArdenne de Tizac avait mis
ltude un vaste projet de modernisation musographique, quand. en 1933, la mort
vint interrompre son labeur. Sa disparition fut pour notrd muse une perte irrpa-
rable. Le conservateur qui lui succda seffora de poursuivre luvre si bien com-
mence et de complter les collections dart archaque. I1tenta aussi, daccord avec
le programmc de son prdcesseur comme linstar des travaux de rnovation entre-
pris par J . Hackin au Musc Guimet et par le Dr Rivet au Trocadbro, de renouveler
lamnagement gnral de la maison du Parc Monceau.
Ladministration de la Ville, sur linitiative du marquis dAndign et de Pierre
Darras, fit alors un effort considrable en consacrant au muse une somme de
300.000 francs qui, grce au talent et au dvouement de Pierre Fournier, lminent
architecte municipal charg des travaux, suffit assurer la transformation complkte
des salles dexposition. Pour les plafonds et le rez-de-chausse, on fit disparatre les
. anciennes moulures et on remplaqa les peintures sombres par un revtcment clair
au ton crtmc. Mais lagrande salle posait un problme plus dlicat; le grand bouddha
de bronze exigeant une trs grande hauteur de plafond, force tait de conserver la
disposition des vitrines murales en deux tages superposs. Pierre Fournier sut r-
soudre habilement le probltme en diminuant par un habile (( dcrochement )) leffet
fcheux dune trop grande superposition de rayonnages, les vitrines hautes tant
dsormais amnages en retrait sensible sur celles den bas ; solution particulihrement
heureuse, tant du point de vue de lmil que pour la musographie, car elle permit de
disposer dune place considtrable en vitant tout effet damoncellement.
A lpoque de la fondation, le grand bouddha occupait le ccntre de la salle
dexposition quil crasait quelque peu et quil coupait en deux. Il fut, en 1934, dplac
et adoss au mur du fond, ((en majest)), devenant ainsi un lment architectural qui,
aux dimensions de la vaste nef, naplus rien de dmesur. Le fond de la salle est donc
dsormais occup par le grand bouddha qui slve sur un socle hexagonal au-dessus
dun cscalier donnant accts, dc part et dautre de la statue, deux galeries ornes
de vitrines adosses au mur. Les galeries en question sont supportes par les vitrines
du bas, celles-ci, on lavu, se prsentant en avance sur le dispositif de ltage sup-
rieur. Ces vitrines, qui semblent encastres dans le mur, sont divises, de part et
dautre de la salle, en trois sections distinctes, spartcs et encadres par des cloisons
recouvertes dun contreplaqu de couleur claire, couleur assortie au bois de lescalier,
au socle du bouddha et larmature des vitrines suprieures. Les encadrements de
bois assurent une excellente ((mise en page)) aux objets disposs dans les vitrines. Pour
varier les effets et pour suspendre les peintures au cours des expositions temporaires,
Pierre Fournier imagina un systme de panneaux de bois coulissants qui, glissant
volont dans les rainures, peuvent masquer les vitrines infrieures. Cette disposition
simple et pratique permet dobtenir volontb. de grandes surfaces plates pour les
expositions de peinturcs, et de procder, notamment, i la prsentation de rouleaux
chinois sans toucher aux vitrines murales que lon dissimule alors, dun simple jeu
de((coulissage)), aux yeux des visiteurs.
Ces vitrines souvrent par derrire sur de petits couloirs mnags dans les galeries
qui contiennent les installations dlectricit et permettent de dposer le matriel :
tringles, socles et supports destins aux expositions temporaires. Des rayonnages y
sont aussi disposs pour y ranger les objets momentanment mis en rserve, tandis que,
dans les socles des vitrines de ltage suprieur, des armoires assurent le mme office.
On ne saurait assez rendre hommage M. Pierre Fournier, qui tout en ralisant un
ensemble harmonieux, na point perdu de vue les commodits matrielles importantes
pour rduire au minimum, en cas dexposition, les manipulations, toujours dange-
reuses, des objets dart. Une exposition temporaire a-t-elle lieu, qui exige lenlve-
ment provisoire de nos pitces de fonds ? Celles-ci trouvent immdiatement abri, sur
place, dans les rserves prpares cet effet. Un meme souci a prsid la disposition
THE
enri Cernuschi, economist and patron of the arts, of Milanese extraction, but
H wholly French by adoption, died on I I May 1896. This generous-hearted man, a
- great liberal, a great democrat and a great European, had lived for many years in
Paris and had built, at the edge of the Parc Monceau, a luxurious villa in which he
housed large collections of Chinese and J apanese worlcs of art, mostly brought back
from his travels in the Far East.
I n his will, Henri Cernuschi bequeathed to his beloved City of Paris both the
house and the collections, thus furnishing the capital, as Emile Guimet was to furnish
the State, with a rich museum of Far Eastern art - an art in which interest was at
that time just awakening in our country.
The specimens collected by Henri Cernuschi reflected as is natural, the taste of
his time. The Chinese art then known to Europe was, inevitably, that of its latest
works - the art of Ming and Tsing metal engravers, a belated echo of thc metal
work of archaic days, dazzling in its technical and imaginative perfection, which, to
Our ignorance of the great periods, seemed extraordinarily original. To be fair,
however, the enlightened founder of our Museum proved himself in many respects
far inadvance of his time, and we are indebted to him for several very early speci-
mens such as the great bronze vat of the Warring States, the acquisition of which
In Henri Cernuschis vast drawing-room, near the huge bronze Buddha from
Me@ro, which is still there to-day, were two rows of show-cases, arranged one above
*e Other, containing vascs, statuettes and realistic or fabulous animals which, to
Iudge by the photographs of Nadar, may well havc produced on the uriinitiatcd an
?pression of almost excessive wealth and a feeling of exoticism that was sometimes
rare archaeological intuition.
f chsconcerting.
SALLE DU GRAND BOUDDIIA. Disposition nouvelle:
,c bouddha a l rcpouss au funti de la salle. Les
vitrines suprieures wri t en rctiait.
THE GREAT BUDDHA ROOM. Ncw arrangement:
The Buddha has becn moved to the back of the
room, the upper row of cascs is placed further back.
Suite page I I 8
M U S ~ E CE R NUS CHI
coninued page I 19
by REN GROL J SSET
9I
S I J I T E DES A R T I C L E S - A R T I C L E S C O N T I N U E D
THb. hl USEUhI S OF FRANCE
continued.froni page I O
places national museums and provincial museums
on thc samc level and induces healthy conipctition
between them.
The problems arising in Paris are of the same
order as those which arise elsewhere. I n an ancient
country like ours, old collections need to be rcno-
vated as much as new ones to bc set up; old buildings
cquippcd in modern style as much as new ones
built.
Now that the Chincsc and J apanese collcctions of
thc Louvre have been transfcrrcd to the Guimet,
and the Egyptian collection brought from thc Guimet
to thc Louvre, i t may be said that the Louvre
collections form to-day a cohcrcnt whole, grouping
around our Western civilization all those which,
directly or indircctly, had a share in its birth.
These civilizations were those which, from the
hcginning of history, centred around the Medi-
terranean basin, whether on the westward-facing
part of Asia from Iran to thc Syrian coast, or on the
African coast from Egypt to Mauretania facing the
southern shorcs of our Continent, or on those shorcs
themselves, home of our closcst kin.
At the threshold of history thcre stand the
mother civilizations: Egyptian, Sumerian, Acgean.
Then, coining down through Athens, Rome, Byzan-
tium, towatds the first centuries of our Christian
era, thcrc arc thc full blossomings of our Mcdiaeval,
Renaissance and \Iodern art.
At the Louvre, then, we arc on our own home
tcrritory, the other inhabited parts of the carth being
dealt with elsewherc: at the Mwee Guimet, the
museum of Asiatic art, wherc is to be found the
othcr Asia, which, facing the lndian Ocean, the
China Seaand thc land regions, has centres of gravity
foreign to us; at the Musde de lHomme, where
we meet the other continents - Negro Africa, Ocea-
nia, the Americas.
I n the geographical distribution of cultures, the
Louvre covers only our own family preserves.
I t is complcmented by the other national mu-
seums. At the Musde dArt Moderne, contemporary
arts take it up to the present moment, while at the
othcr cnd of timc, Saint-Germain provides the pre-
face of pre-history and also an indispensable chapter,
national antiquities. Other museums add to it each
its spcciality: Cluny, the crafts of the Middlc Ages;
Sdoref, ceramics ; Ides Ar t s e t Traditions Populaires,
French ethnography ; Les Monuments Fraryais, an
aspect of our inonumcntalart : sculptureand frescoes;
Versailles, a pictorial rcpresentation of the history
of France. As for the palaces of Compigne, Fon-
tainebleau and Versailles, it is their rle to recon-
struct for us historical dwellings.
Within the Louvre, the plan of arrangement
begun in 1932 is being continued. The ground floor
was completed last ycar with the inauguration of
the Department of Oriental Antiquities. The first
floor is so far only partly finished. Mhl . Char-
bonneaux, Parrot,Vcrlct, Vandier, Huyghe and Bazin
deal in this issue with questions relating to their
own departments.
In conncsion with the planning of the muscum,
we considered it desirable to rc-establish a "Treasure
Room in the splendid casket-like Galerie dApollun,
containing the trcawres of the Abbey of Saint-Dcnis,
and of the Jainfc Chapelle, and of the Order of the
TIoly Ghost, the Coronation Regalia, the crown
jcwels and collcctions from the former royal Curio
Room at Versailles.
92
Ihc frescoes are shown separately from the oil
paintings in the propitious half-light of the vestibule
built by Percier and Fontaine and the old Salle
Duchatel.
When the bricked-up windows in the Salon Carrd
have been reopcncd, Veroneses great compositions
will be displayed in the Salle des Etats.
Two important sections havc been removed from
the chronological display of French painting which
occupies the whole of the second storey running
round the Cour CarrPe. These are:
(a) the Impressionist School and others which derive
from it are shown in the j eu de Paume, which
provides a garden setting for those paintings
inspired by nature;
(b) the large nineteenth century canvases, from
David to Courbet, will be shown on the first
floor in the Daru and Mollien gallerics and in the
Pavillon Denon, halls appropriate, in thcir spa-
ciousness and rich decoration, to the size and
style of those epic paintings.
This illustrates how the plan has to beadapted to
the requirements of the building. A skilful organizer
takes advantage of all the features of a palace which,
once a royal residence, was fitted up during the last
century as a museumin accordance with principles
which have since undergone considerable revision.
We have to discover how to turn to advantage
whatever conflicts with our present-day ideas of
muscum organization. The Granda Gahrie is an illus-
tration of the way in which we have achicved a clearer
and more orderly display of painting by completing
the eighteenth century setting and fitting the
collections into it instead of leaving them distinct
from it. This method has been followed through-
out the palace, whenever possible.
The dignity of their setting will enhance our
masterpieces. Its divcrsity, resulting from slow
development through the centuries, will provide a
varied background for the works of art, giving them
life and throwing theminto relief in an atmosphere
which, although not always perfect, will at least
always bc vivid. There will thus be no danger of the
monotony we arc conscious or in most museums
built recently, which, in detail, are often very
successful, but almost always too uniform in thcir
methods of display.
I n the Louvre, the buildings own life, spacious,
majcstic and varied, pulses through our collections.
But that does not prohibit us from providing them
with all the appurtcnances of modern museography -
maps, photographs, explanatory notes, fittings and
electric or other suitably modernized equipment.
Every curator also exercises his ingenuity in
order to introduce variety into the arrangemcnt of
the collections. As soon as spacc permits, he estab-
lishes two serics of exhibits, one an artistic display
and the other intended for scientific study; he groups
in onc place works related by subject, which are
shown elsewhere in order of date or technical style;
and finally, he arranges informative descriptions in a
few unobtrusive places which are not an essential
part of the general setting.
When a museum is housed in a palacc, that
palace, with all its natural advantages and disadvan-
tages, must so far as possible be adapted to the needs
of the collections. The result is what we might call
a museum-palace. What we might call a palace-
museum aims at the opposite effect. I n the latter
case, the collcctions are subordinate to the building,
being intended to rcvive the atmosphere of an
historic residence. Examplcs arc the Chateaux of
Versailles, Fontainebleau, and Compigne. I n his
article on Compibgnc, M. Vergnet-Ruiz has defined
the rules which should then be observed, in order
to givc the setting its full value as evidence. The
Queens Bedroom at Versailles, which will this year
be hung with tapestries copied at Lyons from the
original designs, will provide an example of such
a restoration of a room, as it was at a specific date,
based on inventories.
Whenever we are dealing with an old building
with a history of its own, whcther it is a muscum-
palace or a palace-museum, whether it is the Louvre
or Versailles, we shall set aside one or more rooms
to show its history, illustratcd by written records,
diagrams, models of buildings, prints, photographs
or various other documents.
We have given a brief indication of some of thc
directions in which the national museums are de-
veloping. Thcir activities began again briskly imme-
diately after the Liberation, but are still hampered
by financial difficulties and the shortage of matcrial.
However, this year we hope to go far towards
completing the first floor at the Louvre and the
second floor at the Mude Guimet; to open the
first rooms at the Mush de Cluny, whcre a museum
of mediaeval crnfts will be shown in a new way; to
fit up a few sections of the Mu.rh de la Chamique at
Svres; to extend the fresco museum; to set aside
an exhibition gallcry for the Mwde des Ar t s et Tra-
ditions populaires and, finally, to add to the MirSe
d Art Moderne.
The latter of which the idea dates from the re-
storation of the monarchy, seems, like the Phoenis
to be perpctually arising from its ashes. I n its last
incarnation It betraycd I ~ S mission, for few of the
great contemporaries appcared in it and those who
did, were inadequately represented. An enterprising
purchase policy and the opening of a gallery for
changing exhibitions have lent it fresh wings. ,411
credit to our friends J ean Cassou and Bernard 110-
rival,
L E REMANI EMENT DU DRPARTEMENT
DES PEI NTURES ET LA
GRANDE GAL ERI E
Suite de la page 17
En meme temps, la lumire, si dficiente, devait
etre amnage de manikre toute diffircnte. La Grande
Galerie, on s en plaignait depuis longtemps, tait
trop obscure. I1ne suffisait pas de placer dsormais
les peintures sur un seul rang, dans la plupart des
cas, donc sous IC regard. Ltclairage dcvait &re
amlior; on sait que lcs servitudes inhrentes ce
monument historique contraigncnt ne vitrer que
la pente interne de la toiture et maintcnir le re-
vtcinent opaque dardoises sur celle qui est vue
du quai. Aussi un mur tait-il et avait toujours
t, de mmoire dhomme, plus sombre quc lautre.
On y remdia en multipliant les surfaces claires,
aptes A rverbrer les rayons lumineux: marbres dun
blanc rosi, voussure passe du rouge dc jadis un
ton crme qui lui fait jouer, proximit du vitrage,
le rlc dun rflecteur. . .
De plus, on ouvrit quelques fenetres dans la
pcrsuasion que, loin de contrarier lillumination
znithale, elles creraient seulement, selon les
propres termes dun rapport de Pcrcier et Fontaine
edes effets de lumibre varie)). Pour lharmonie gn-
rale dc la galerie, on revcnait dailleurs presque au
gris et or quils prconisaient; tout au plus cherchait-
on dans les beiges des tons plus chauds, plus aptes
sharmoniser avec les tableaux. Nous ne nous dissi-
mulons pas que, dans son Ctat actuel, la Grande
Galerie a des fonds trop clairs, qui nuisent aux:
tablcaux. I1 importe, en cffet, si lon ne veut pas
dnaturer une uvre peinte, de ne jamais laprscntcr
sur une muraillc dont lablancheur surpassc savaleur
laplus claire. I1importe aussi, et cest lun fait pure-
ment optique, de ne pas obliger lcil accommoder
sur une dominante trop clatante qui le rend ainsi
inapte percevoir les nuances plus assourdies du
tableau. Mais que le public veuille bien penser que
19
wulcs les circonstances actuclles ct ICsdifficults qui
leur
inhtrcntes ont empch de tendre derrire
les
le velours hcige clair qui tait prvu, et
dont la matit changeante supprimerait la froideur
trop
de la paroi. Lavenir permettra de dah-
wi ce dernier point du prOgran1mc projctb.
leur tour nccssitaicnt un amna-
gement; un effort soutenu pour remplacer les cadrcs,
qui tient une insulte beaucoup dentrc eux, par
VCnUS du pays ct du temps o lceuvre a t
,xCcutte, une campagne approfondie de nettoyage
,~ de dvernissage dcs toiles et des panncaux ont t
le
de la nouvellc prscntation. II convient
de souligner tout ce que cette double ralisation doit
M. Germain Bazin, conservateur au dpartement,
qui y a donn toUS ses soins, aid pour lencadrement
parMme Aulanier, cependant que lcluipedes rCStau-
du Louvre, dirige par M. Goutinat avec le
COnCOUr~de M. Lucicn Aubert, a trouv 18loccasion
de formuler une vritable mthode que lon pourrait,
je crois, donner en exemple. Le problmc de larg-
,+mtion des tableaux, offusqus par dpaisses
,-ouches de vernis jaunis, ne saurait non plus sc r-
soudre par un principe absolu et passe-partout. 11y
faut autant de doigt et de sens aigu des particulari-
ts de chaque cas que dans le domaine mdical. On
smerveille que certains puissent se qucreller pour
savoir Icsil convient de nettoyer ou non les tableauxr.
L~question ncst pas si simple. I l est vident que
lon napas le droit, contre lavolont posthume des
anistes, de prsenter leurs uvrcs transformes par
les vernis accumuls de gnration en gnration;
les tons froids ont disparu absorks uniformment
par le ton chaud et ambr qui les recouvre; lacolo-
tation meme est absolument transforme, sans parler
de lassombrissement gnral o elle sensevelit. Mais
ceci ne vcut pas dirt quil faille retirer mcanique-
ment ces vernis sous prtexte de retrouver la pein-
ture dans son tat ancicn. Cet tat, souvent, nexiste
plus: des tons ont volu, pour des raisons chi-
miques; un dsaccord de valeurs sest effectu du
clair au sombre, qui scst peu peu aenfoncs, enfin,
nombre de dsastreuses rparations anciennes se sont
substitues au travail primitif quand elles ne lont pas
simplement us terriblement; le vernis constitue
tous ces maux une cnveloppe compensatrice qui les
masque ou les corrige et quil y a donc souvent
intret, pour ne pas dirc ncessit, maintenir par-
tiellement dans lamesure exacte o elle noutrepasse
pas cerdle.
Prenons garde, au surplus, que le spcctacle de la
Peinture moderne nous a dots dune vision toute
difflrente de celle des anciens, plus brutale, plus ellip-
tique, gourmande de coulcurs et ignorante des va-
leurs; aussi, souvent, et je dplore den connatrc
de Patents exemples, le nettoyage enlbve des
glacis, Ouune euveloppe finale obtenue par le vernis,
dont notre temps a perdu la comprhension; tcl se
flicite de rajeunir lcruvre qui la transforme et la
dduit saprparation, plus satisfaisante pour lil
Odeme, mais qui, pour le peintrc de jadis, ntait
quune tape prliminaire. Unc politique dabsten-
On absurde; une politique de ncttoyage trop
donne des rsultats qui ne paraissent des suc-
& que Parun malcntendu dpoque, alors quils sont
une atteinte ~rrnidiable laspect rel du tableau.
Ce sera Sans doute lhonneur de lquipc des
rCstaUrate~rS du Louvre davoir su se garder de lun
Ou de Iautre excbs que sollicite toujours lopinion
mal
Partiale et entire, et davoir appliqu
r mthode nuance, toujours respectucuse des
la prudence parfois, parfois dans le
OUfage, selon quil est opportun.
ces ~reS rajeunies, il convcnait ensuitc de les
dans ce cadre rajeuni, Le niuse doit r-
Pondre aux besoins dun public divcrs, et satisfaire
les
galement respectables de son dsir cle
et de son disir de connaissance. On sest
onc attach disposer les tableaux selon un ordre
historique
qui mette en valeur le dveloppe-
us tableaux
ment dcs Ccoles; mais chaquc groupement, sil a un
sens historique aussi vident que possible, a t
amhag par un jeu de cadences, de rapprochemcnts
de tonalits, dalternances dc dimensions et de sujets
qui cherche avant tout dgager lharmonie et la
posie dc chacune des uvres qui sy assemblent. A
cette recherche, il convient dc dire toute la part prise
par iMmeAdhmar, assistante, et Mlle Bouthet, char-
ge dc mission au dpartement.
Esquissons la promcnade travers les sibcles zi
laquelle est invit le visiteur: il accdc au palier par
cevastc et sobre escalier Denon o senlve IC rol
de la Victoire de Samothrace, et l, dans la demi-
pnombre et dans lisolement solennel des murs nus
dont larchitecture voque un peu les coupoles
byzantines, il trouve la Matlone de Cimabue et son
sourd rutilement dor. En face de ce monument des
origincs de la peinture italienne, souvre la salle des
Sept Mtres, qui continue comme jadis tre affec-
te aux primitifs. Mais larchitecture est modifie:
elle aussi, trop troite pour sa longueur, figurait
quelque couloir aux parois resserres. De plus, la
juxtaposition de grands retables et dc petits panneaux
prcieux y crtait un pnible disparate. On a scc-
tionn ce passage trop tir par de petits Cpis en
avance qui rompent sa perspectivc sans dnaturer
son volume. Deux atribunesr, o le ton de picrrc a
t maintenu, divisent donc la pice en trois traves,
et isolent chacune deux panneaux monumentaux
placs face face; les traves, dont ces tribunes niar-
quent lasparation, ont au contraire un fond gris vert
trs doux choisi pour mettre en valeur le caractre
trs prcieux des frabments, prdelles ou uvres de
dimensions rduites. Elles soulignent en mme
tempsles principalesphasesdelvolution historique:
dans la premire se dveloppent sur les deux parois
en vis--vis les peintures siennoise et florentine du
trecento; dans laseconde, on assiste ti laprolongation
attarde de lesprit pieux et narratif des primitifs et
Iveil des recherches autoritaires qui expriment
llan florentin du XVe sicle, et dont la Bataille
dUeello fournit le plus magistral exemple; la troi-
sime montre un art, encore mdival par linspira-
tion, mais tout arm des nouvelles conquetes plas-
tiques : lapeinture italienne sapprte, avcc Botticelli,
prendre son essor de la pleine Renaissance qui va
sployer dans la Grande Galcrie. La csure cntrc
ccs trois traves est constitue, dans la premire tri-
bune, par le St-Franqois de Giotto et le Couronnement
de lu Vierge de Fra Angelico disposs en regard lun
dc lautre, dans la seconde tribune, de mme par
la Visifution de Ghirlandajo et LaSucra Conuersqione
de Lorenzo di Credi.
Le vritable humanisme sedveloppe alors dans
laGrande Galerie qui, sa division ancienne en cinq
traves, ajoute, pour chacunc dentre elles ainsi quon
la expos plus haut, une subdivision en plusieurs
panneaux dunc longueur de douze quinze m6trcs.
11fallait apporter une certaine clart la richesse
touffue de lcoleitalienne et la multiplicit de ses
sous-coles. Ccrtes, la division cn panneaux per-
mettait de mieux grouper, donc de mieux dtacher
les coles ou les groupes. Mais quelque confusion
aurait encore pu subsister. Pour la dissiper, on a,
jusqu latribune centrale de la Joconde, dCroul sur
lamuraille de droitc IC dveloppement des coles du
nord-est o sc dtache, dominatrice, lkole vni-
tienne, sur lamuraille de gauche, les tendances plus
intellectuelles et idalistes des peintres du nord-
ouest et du centre, o Florencc surtout fait contre-
poids Venise.
Ainsi, le visiteur qui se confierait ti la filire de
droite, verrait tour tour sarticuler, en chapitres
successifs, les Vnitiens du Quattrocento, tels que
Vivarini et Crivelli, puis les artistes qui, plus queux
encore, se vourent au style dur et coupant de Icole
padouane: Mantegna Mantoue, Tura Ferrare;
cnn quelques uvres oh, autour de Giovanni Bel-
lini, se manifeste lamollissement plus sensuel ap-
port par latechnique nouvelle dAntonello de Mes-
sine. Alors commence avcc laseconde trave lge
dor de Venise: cest dabord lcole de Bellini, avec
Cima et Carpaccio, puis larvolution giurgionesque
que conccntre le Concert Champifre, ensuitc Titien et
son kcole, enfin Vronse et Tintoret qui nous
mnent jusqu latribune centralc.
Cepcndant, cest un art tout diffrent, moins sou-
mis aux prestiges de lamatire et de lacouleur, qui
se droule paralllement sur le mur de gauche. Re-
prenons-le son origine : dans lapremire travte, o
nous sommes revenus, se prsentent tour tour
Botticelli, puis sur les deux panneaux suivants, le
Studiolo dIsabelle dEste, oh, cot de Mantegna qui
se retrouve ainsi cn face du panneau qui lui est con-
sacr de lautre cot de lagalcrie, Lorenzo Costa et
Prugin amorcent un art dlgance plastique et de
suavit. Prugin, qui cldt ainsi la premiPre trave,
amorce la seconde dans le panneau initial rCserv
lcole ombrienne, dont lonction se niarie dans IC
panneau suivant ? celle de lcole lombarde; puis cest
lensemblc de Lonard de Vinci, gloire du Muse,
et enfin un groupement dcltuvres dc son cole ct
dartistes florentins o sbauche lesprit du XVIG
sicle. A nouveau nous passons la tribunc centrale
qui spare ladeuximc trave de la troisime, et o
ont t runies quelques pices illustres entre toutes
qui, venucs des collections de Franois i er et de
Louis XIV, marqucnt la fois le cur du Muse
et son origine: il y a l, autour de laJoconde, 1.arrra
Dianti, Franpis Ier et 1AlIigorie du Titien, le Bal-
t hapr Cast$ione et la Jeanne dArugon de Raphael.
LColeitalienne a atteint sa cime.
Dsormais, dans latroisibme trave, saplnitude
puis son raffinement maniriste, nous mneront vers
la raction caravagesque. Sur le mur de gauche, on
sent lefruit admirablemcnt mr avec Raphal samol-
lir avec J ules Romain, puis les premiers baroques.
En face, sur lemur de droitc, on voit dc m&me le
Corrge insinuer chez ses continuatcurs les memcs
gcrmes de dcadence. Une raction tait invitable :
gauche on la voit semanifester sous les espces de
lclectisme bolonais, o les paysages du Carrachc
apportent leur force drue et le Guerchin son cnvo-
tement quasi romantique; droite, ellc Cclate, bien
plus radicale, avec IC caravagisme et son ralisme
accentu par larbitraire des contrastes violents de
lombre et de lalumire.
Alors commence la quatrime trave: on aurait
pu y achever lcole italiennc avec ses peintres du
XVIIIe sicle. Mais la puissance caravagcsque appe-
lait imprieusement son tcho dans lapninsule ib-
rique. Le XVI P sicle espagnol trouvait tout natu-
rellement saplace ici, et Caravage voquait Ribera.
Aussi a-t-on jug plus conforme, ladicte mme de
lhistoire, dintercaler ici lcole espagnole. Dau-
tant plus que les deux petites rotondcs conues par
Lefucl, et qui enchssent cette avant-dernire trave,
permettaient de prsenter dans un isolement pro-
pice, sur des chevalets tendus de velours, dans la
premire les primitifs espagnols, clans lautrc Goya,
qui servent dintroduction et de conclusion i lart
grandiose et audacieux dont Greco, Zurbaran, hfu-
rillo dans ses meilleures heures, et Velasqucz furent
les matres. A la suite de ce dernier, Goya, dans sa
rotonde, formait pour lesprit et pour lail la scule
transition possiblc avec la dernibre trave, avec le
XVIIIe siclc italien, dont il reut dailleurs lui-
mme quelque enseignement, par le truchement de
Iepolo. Cette ultime trave, plus rduite de dimen-
sions, accucille les dernires fuses que lart italien
sait encore lancer A Venise, d. Naples, Romc, a
Gnes. ,. Et, conclusion due un hasard heurcux,
laperspective de laGrande Galerie peut ainsi se clore
sur une vaste toile dresse devant sa porte et qui,
sous le pinceau de Pannini, rcprsente prcisment
une Galerie romaine de peintures dont la fastueuse
architecture rappelle trangement certains dtails de
larchitecture du Louvre o elle est place.
93
7cl est lcnscmble que IC public est di% niainre-
nant admis r( parcourir. Il ne prendra tout son sens
quc lejour prochain oil il scia complt par une suite
cle salles annexes, en cours damCnagement. Si amples
quc soicnt les proportions de laGrandc Galerie, ellcs
nc pouvaient cepcndant rcccvoir les ccuvres qui
rcprcscntent lagrandeur monutncntale de lapcinture
italienne. On en prendra quelque idCelorsque, dans
peu de mois, souvrira lasuite de sallcs qui mne de
1Escalicr Denon au Salon Carr. Dans le beau vesti-
bulc que Pcrcier et Fontaine avaicnt difi au tcrme de
lcscalier par o lon accdait alors au Muse, et dont
lernplacement cst occupc maintenant par la Victoirc
de Samothrace, Ics frescjucs de Botticclli ont it6
places flanc de muraille; leur suite, la salle
Duchtel complitera cc petit muse de la fresque
par dautres uvres, refigicuses cette fois et non plus
profanes comme ccllcs de Horticelli, et qui groupe-
ront plusieurs Luini autour de la grande Crucifixion
de IAngclico. Le Salon Carr, complktcment trans-
form, dbordant de clart price ses fcntrcs rou-
vcrres sur IC quai, poursuivra cettc vocation rsu-
me de la pcinture de dcor mural: Vinci y sera
rappel6 par la copie ancienne de la Cine, Raphal par
des cartons de tapisserie de son colc, le XVIIe sikcle
enfin y montrcra quelques uvres damplcdimension,
Mais, dira-t-on, que devicnnent les Vniticiis et
les Aroces de Cana de Vrontse, si rctcntissantes dans
lammoire des foules? On leur a voulu un cadre plus
vaste, plus digne de leur souffle dcoratif. La Salle
des Etats, rservie jadis au XIXe sikcle franais, lcur
sera dvolue: par sa portc daccs qui souvre pr-
cismcnt dans la Grande Galcrie, entre le panneau
Giorgione ct lepanncauTitien, on verra, au fond de
la magnifique perspectivc de cette norme salle, se
dresser, sur laparoi du fond, ces Noces de Cana qui
sont latoilc laplus vaste du monde. Encadres des
chcfs-dcruvrc de Titien, de Vironksc, de Bassan,
elles spanouiront dans lespace et lair qui leur est
d. La Salle des Etats, dbarrasse de ses pscudo-
sculptures au mauvais got surchargb, aura aupara-
vant kt rendue digne de ces hates dhonncur.
Les grandes pikccs de Gricault, de Delacroix,
dc Courbet, etc., vacuces pour leur faircplace, vien-
dront alors sunir celles de David et de Gros, et
soutenir la comparaison de la grande peinturc ita-
licnne dans les deux nefs que constitucront, de part
et dautre du pavillon Denon, lcs anciennes salles d u
XVIIe et du XVllIe sibcles franais.
Ainsi, dici peu de mois, la prsentation renove
des coles italicnne et espagnole sera totalement
acheve. Prcisons quelle sera complte par une
srie de sallcs secondaires, o, en rangs plus serrs,
les tableaux moins importants soffriront ltude
l o jadis se trouvait la collection Camondo, cest-
-dire proximit de la Grande Galerie. En confor-
mit avec la mthode qui a fait placer au Muse de
lImpressionnisme dcs panneaux explicatifs, lapetite
salle o, au dbouch de laGrande Galerie, samor-
aient nagure les primitifs franais, sera rserve
des schmas muraux, cartes gographiques et table
chronologiquc, qui permettront au visiteur de sini-
tier aux notions lcs plus indispensables ou den ra-
frachir le souvenir. Si lceuvredart cxige un respcct
total et ne saurait donc supporter le voisinage dau-
cun Clment pdagogique, il est dune purile affec-
tation de vouloir par contre proscrire totalement du
muse cette aidc donne la comprhcnsion histo-
rique dcs uvres. On est seulement en droit dexiger
delle une parfaite discrtion. Napportant alors
aucune gne CCUX qui nont pas besoin ou dsir dy
avoir rccours, elle ne les autorise pas A vouloir
gostement cn priver ceux quelle aidc approcher
lart, ou sy intresser.
Ainsi, I C dpartement des peinturcs apporte sa
contribution progressive luvre de damnage-
ment et de transformation du Muse du Louvre
94
laquelle sc sont attachs depuis plus de vingt ans les
directeurs des Muses nationaux; audacieusement
conue loriginc par bl. Hcnri Verne, vigoureuse-
ment poursuivie par LI. J acques J aujard qui y porta
lamarque dc son intelligence et de son dynatnismc,
elk troute son accomplisscment aujourdhui avec la
penscc et le got partout prcscnts de hl. Gorges
Salles. Ainsi secoordonne leffort que, dans chaque
dpartement, accomplissciit les conservateurs. Et
peut-etre un jour scra-t-on frapp surtout de Ihomo-
gniit dune entreprise, soutenuc travers tant
dannies par des quipcs de spcialistes, dont les
disciplines si divcrses stendent de larchologie au
XIXe sikcle et de lOrient notrc pays. Pourtant,
salles par salles, d&parterncnt par dpartcment, cest
un niuse anime dune seule me, pourvu dun seul
visage qui lentement se degage. Puisse-t-il portcr
tnioigriagc cn faveur de notre individualisme curo-
pCcn, aujourdhui si menac, et contribuer montrer
quil peut sans dfaillance mener h bicn une uvrc
collective qui clbre la civilisation dont il est
laboutissement.
CHANGES I N THE DEPARTEMENT
OF PAI NTI NGS A ND
THE GRANDE GALERI E
continued froni page I 8
is different; it has a past, a personality and a
soul - like thc pictures or sculptures it is to con
tain. I t immediatcly places thc curator on a plane
where dogmatism must succumb and where he feels
himself, first and foremost, at the servicc of the spiri-
tual rcalities which dominate him and which, through
him (and this is the sum of his duties) must also dom-
inate the spectator. A museumis not a fixcd frame
into which exhibits can be fitted like soldicrs en-
rolled in a unit; the sctting must be an expression
and a natural cxtension of the work of art. This was
brought home to us very clcarly when wc were
arranging, at the samc time, the MwC de llnlpres-
rionni~me and the Grande Galerie. We wcre very con-
scious that, in the former, pictures of open-air sccnes,
catching the essencc of light and the changing facc
of nature, should be left in contact with nature, with
thc sky, the trees and the reflection of light from the
ornamental pools sccn through grcat windows open-
ing on to a garden, and that the architccture should
be unobtrusivc - a vague and neutral background -
so as not to interrupt this communion between the
painter and the open air. I n the Grarjde Galerie,
however, in which the Ita!ian School was to be
shown, the art treasures of an old classic civilization,
its ancient and religious heritage, had to be housed in
that atmosphcre of isolation, nobility and splendour
which is required by the products of a princely and
idealistic age. J ust as Impressionism, breaking away
from that tradition, demanded the atmosphere of
summer holidays in the country, so the Italian and
Spanish Schools wcre at home in the setting of a
palace.
Although for centuries the Grande Galerie - by
which Catherine de Mdici intended to link her town
palace, the Louvre, with her country palace, the
Tuilcries- had bccn nothing but a very long corridor,
difficult to decorate and furnish and inconvenient
for use, it had witnessed whole pages of history. The
sovcreigns of France -from the Valois and the Bour-
bon Kings, from Hcnri I V and Louis XIV to the
Emperors, Napoleon I and Napoleon III - had passed
there in leisure or ceremony. There, Louis XII1
as a child played at Fox-hunting with the Kings
hounds, thcre Louis XIV touched for the Kings
Evil, Napoleon conducted Marie Louise through
their wedding cercmonies, Louis Philippe, in accor-
dance with the ideas of the scientific century in which
he lived, had tested a small-scale model locomotive
and, lastly, the Empress Eugnie had fled beforc the
revolution beating against the Palace walls. . . Apart
from these ghosts, what really remained? A vast
gallery - rcduced to less than half its size by Lefuel,
but still vast because of its lack of variety, walls
painted Pompeian rcd right to thc mctal-framcd glass
vaulting of the roof, irresistibly reminiscent of an
immense railway station - Pcrciers pink dado and,
further on, Letucls black dado stretching as far as
thc eyc could see. Nevcrthcless, thc palacc architec-
ture began here. Adopting a plan designed for the
gallery in 1796 by the painter Hubert Robert, a niem.
ber of the Conservation du Museum, to break its mono-
tony without distracting thc cye from its length,the
architects Percicr and Fontainc divided it into bays,
marked off by transverse arches resting on pairs of
columns standing out from the wall. Their work
stopped therc, far from complcted as Hubert Robcrt
had conceived it and as it is shown in several paitit-
ingsl. This was the hall which we finally had to
arrange.
The problem continually arising was: Should
the Palace be sacrificcd to the Museum, or the MU.
scumto thc Palace? But why should we not try to
perfcct the Palace in the arrangement ofthe Museum?
That was the solution wc adopted. The long mono-
tonous walls sccmed quite unsuitable for a picture
gallcry which demands variety, and yet there was
no question of breaking that traditional vista in ordcr
to construct more convenicntly proportioned rooms.
The pictures of the gallery as planned by Hubert
Robert gave us the idea, in 1937, that it would be
possible to improve the architectural perspective by
the same means, breaking the long lines of the walls
sufficiently to suggest a succession of panels. First,
very high walls were only tolerable in an age
when it was the custom to cram pictures framc to
frame right to thc ceiling; Hubcrt Roberts plans
showed, however, that by extending along the walls,
the entablaturc above thc pillars which Percicr and
Fontaine had constructed, wc could adapt the archi-
tecture to reduce the hcight of the walls. Therewere
still, however, between one pair of columns and the
next, about thirty metres of dado without any relicf.
Hubert Robert again suggested that it would be
possible to break these bare stretches cvcry ten
metres or so by small niches, framed by pilasters and
holding classical statucs, which would support the
cornice and give it meaning, at the same time brealr-
ing the walls into panels of a reasonable size. The
advantages of this schcme were obvious: those vcr-
tical pilastcrs, which could be of exactly the samc
design as those which Percier and Fontaine had built
against the wall behind their pillars, would divide
the expanse of wall; the light-coloured slabs of
marble set bctween them would relieve thc back-
ground on which the paintings werc to be hung, and
the classical statues placcd in the recesscs would give
the eye and mind a break and, by providing variety,
rctain the visitors interest. We will pass ovcr the
opposition which this scheme encountered from
technical spccialists in spite of its eminent sponsors
of the past, and of the effective support it enjoyed
from M. Georges Huisman, Director-General of
Fine Arts, and M. J acques J aujard, Director of the
National Museums. Altered and revised, the scheme
became a compromise. I t was not finally adopted
until after the war when M. Georges Salles, the new
Dircctor of Museums revived it on his own respon-
sibility, with his good taste and energy, and the new
architect, M. Haffner, carried out the plan with a
skill beyond praise.
At the same time, the lighting, which was ah-
gether inadequate, had to be quite differently ar-
ranged. I t had been a lo&-standing complaint that
the Grande Galerie was too dark. It was not enough
Madame Aulanier has written an excellently
documentcd and magnificcntly illustrated book on
L a Grande Galerie du Bord de lEau (Editions des
MusCcs Nationaux, Paris 1947). The history of this
part of the Museumwill be found there, described
with wit and knowledge.
arrange most of the pictures in a single
+:nd therefore in the direct line of vision; the
~i
of prescrving the appearance of this
historic monument, only thc side of the roof facing
cbe court-yard could be glazed; thc dark slate roof
~ the river
had to be left as it was. One wall
bn therefore always been darker than the other as
6u back as anyone can rernernbcr. We solved the
ioblem by increasing the number of pale surfaces
tMch would reflect light: pinkish whitc marble,
vndhg changed from its origind red to a cream
&de,
by its proximity to the roof-lights,
dg as a reflector.
In addition we pierced a few new windows,
wevjng that they would not interfere with the
fighting from the roof, but would mcrcly, in the
words of one of Perciers and Fontaines reports,
varied lighting effects. For the general
decoration of the gallery we used a h thc Same
sheme of grey and gold which they had suggested,
introducing, howevcr, warmer beige tones which
would harmonize better with the picturcs. WC realize
bt , in its prcsent state, the background in the
Grmde Galerie is too light and detracts from the
To set of? thc colour values of a painting,
it is important that it should never behung on a wall
$er than the lightest shade in the picture. I t is also
important for purely optical reasons, that the eye
should not have to adapt itself to a too bright back-
gmund, for it then has difficulty id appreciating the
d&r tones in the picture. We hope thc public will
mlize that it is only the inevitable difficulties arising
from prescnt circumstances which have prevented
us from covering the walls behind the framcs with the
light beige velvet which wehad in mind and which,
with the varying lights on the pile of its surface,
would temper the coldness of the walls. It will be
possibleto carry out this last part of the scheme later.
The pictures also required new treatment. As a
Mtud consequence of rearrangement, determined
doits were made to rcplace frames - many of them
PLI insult to their contents - by others belonging to
the time and the country in which the picture had
been painted; canvases and panels were systemati-
d y cleaned and layers of varnish were reniovcd.
We must emphasize how much of thc success of this
work is duc to M. Germain Bazin, a Curator of the
kprtmcnt, who has lavished his care on it, with
the asshance of Madame Aulanier in framing; while
the b..m staff of restorcrs, hcaded by hi. Gouli-
tiat and helpcd by M. Lucien Aubert, found this an
OPPottunity to work out a method which I consider
might well Serve as a model. The question of restor-
@ to their original state pictures which are ob-
by thick layers of yellowed varnish, cannot
8ettlcd in Principle once and for all. As much skill
Fd finean appreciation of the peculiarities of each
mdividual case is required in this work as in medi-
It is astonishing that some pcople should argue
whether pictures should be cleaned or not.
question is not as simple as that. Obviously it is
not right, when artists are dead, to show their works
tered in appearancc by the accumulated varnish of
genetations; the colder tones dibappear in thc warn1
yellowish shade laicl ovcr them; thc hol le ColuLIring
Of the picture is changed, gcncrally darkened and
Obscured. This does !lot mean, however, that we can
dmply the layers of varnish and say that we
bringing to light thc picture in its original state.
Vqoftenth~ori gi nal state no longer exists: colours
hpve
from chemical causes; the balance of
light and dark has been disturbed
91 the tones have grown darkcr and, finally, much
*mttable work of rcstoration has taken the
* Of the original paint, when it has not des-
trqed it. The varnish often acts as a softening vcil,
?le Or lessening Such faults, and it is frequently
dmbles if not in fact essential, to leave it on,
ProPided that it does no more that1 that.
i i s h~s roa,
had to beimproved. I t is well known that,
.
We must bc carcful too because, being used to
modern painting, our eyes see differently from those
of our predecessors; our vision is less dctailcd and
more clliptic. Clcaning thcrcfore often removes
glazes or a final filmproduced by the varnish whose
value we no longer understand (I liavc unfortu-
nately, sccii somc only too obvious examples of
such misunderstanding); a man may flatter himsclf
he is restoring a work, when hc is transforming
and reducing to a statc of incompletion, which may
be more pleasing to the modern eye but was only a
preliminary stage for thc original painter. I t would
bc ridiculous to refrain from doing anything. Too
radical a cleaning policy, however, produces results
which seemsuccessful only because the style of the
period is misunderstood, whereas in fact they irre-
parably damage the pictures real appcarance.
I think the Louvrcs tcamof restorers can be
proud to have avoided both the extremes urged by
outsiders, and to have used varying methods, somc-
times cautious, sometimes daring, as cach case re-
quired, but in every instance observing the intention
of the artist.
We next had to arrange the rejuvcnatcd works in
a rcjuvenatcd sctting. A museummust cater to the
requirements of a varied public, and satisfy thcir
equally justifiable appetites for bcauty and know-
ledge. We have, therefore, tried to arrange the pic-
tures in close chronological order, demonstrating thc
development of the schools. Although thc historical
line is as clear as possible in every group, the pictures
however, have been arranged with a rhythm; with
contrasts of tone, size and subject, dcsigned mainly
to accentuate the harmony and poetry of each of the
works included in the group. We must mention the
part playcd by Madame Adhkmar, an Assistant, and
Mlle. Bouthet, a Technical Expert in the Depart-
ment, in working out this arrangement.
We shall give a brief dcscription of the way
which a visitor can follow through the ccnturies.
Coming up the stately Denon Staircase on which the
Victory of Samothrace spreads hcr wings, he reaches
the landing and finds there, in the half-gloom, alone
in solemn state on bare walls which recall the archi-
tecturc of a Byzantine domc, Cimabues Madonna,
with its dull gleams of gold. Opposite this example
of the earliest Italian painting is the entrancc to the
Salle des Sept Mdtrei, in which, as bcfore, the primi-
tives are still shown. The architecture has, however,
been altered; this room also was too narrow for its
length, like a corridor. Furthcrmorc, thcre was an
unfortunate incongruity between the large altar-
pieces and little jewel-like panels, which used to bc
shown sidc by sidc. l hi s narrow passage has bcen
divided up by pairs of small partitions jutting from
the walls, which break its extent without detracting
from its size. Two sets of facing alcoves, painted in
Stone colour, thus divide thc room into three bays,
each forming the setting for two large panels hung
oppositc one anothcr; thc bays markcd off by these
alcoves are painted in a very soft greenish grey,
intended to show to advantage the precious frag-
ments, prcdellas or small paintings displayed. These
bays also emphasize the principal stages of historical
development; in the first, fourteenth century Sicn-
cse and Florentine paintings cxtcnd along both
walls, opposite to one another; in the second, wc sec
the late survival of the pious, descriptive outlook of
the primitives and the awakcning of thc authoritarian
tendencics exprcsscd by the Florentine outburst of
the fifteenth century, of which Uccellos Battle is
the most impressive example; thc third displays an
art still mediaeval in inspiration, but in which the
latest advances in technique are apparent; with Botti-
celli, Italian painting is on the threshold of its full
flowcring in thc Rcnaissance, which we shall find
displayed in thc Grande Galerie. The alcoves between
the three bays are occupied by Giottos St. F~urrcis
and Fra Angclicos Coronation a j the Virgin, facing
one another in the first pair, and, in the second, by
Ghirlandajos Visitatiun and Lorenzo di Credis Vi r -
,qin with Sainh.
Humanism, propcrly speaking, is displayed in
the Grande Galerie, divided as described above, into
the five previously existing bays, each, of which is
subdividcd into scvcral panels, twelve to fifteen
metres long. I t was necessary to clarify a littlc the
rich confusion of the Italian School, with its vast
number of subsidiaries. The division into panels
made it easier to place schools or groups togethcr,
thus distinguishing their difiercnt characteristics, but
there might still have been some confusion. Io
prevent this, we have displayed on the right-hand
wall, up to the central alcove whcrc the Mona Lisa
hangs, the development of the north eastern schools,
dominated by Venice, and on the left-hand wall, the
more intcllcctual and idealistic tendencies of the
painters belonging to the north west and centre of
Italy, dominated by Florence.
Thus thc visitor, following the right-hand line,
would follow the development of successive groups:
the fifteenth century Venetians such as Vivarini
and Crivelli, followed by artists who, to an even
greater extent, illustrated the sharp and trenchant
style of Padua - Mantegna at Mantua and Tura at
Ferrara; finally a few works in which appear grouped
around Giovanni Bellini the more sensual and less vi-
gorous style introduced by the new technique of An-
tonello ofMcssina; in thc sccond bay, the Golden Age
of Venice begins: first the School ofBellini withCima
and Carpaccio; then the revolution brought about
by Giorgionc, exemplified in the Concert i n the Open
Ai r , then Titian and his School,andfinally, Veroncsc
and Tintoretto, bringing us to the ccntral alcove.
Thc development of quite a different type of art
is traced, however, on the left-hand wall - an art lcss
dominated by matter and colour. Beginning with the
earlicst, back in the first bay we see Botticelli,
followed in the next two panels by the works paintcd
for the Studiolo of Isabella dEstc whcrc, beside Man-
tegna (who thus faces the panel on the other side of
the gallery in which his pictures are shown), Lorcnzo
Costa and Perugino represent the beginning of an
art full of plastic grace and elegance; Perugino, who
occupies the last place in the first bay, appears also
in the first panel of the sccond, (which is devoted to
thc Umbrian School), the richness of which is com-
bined in the next panel with that of the Lombard
School; then comes Lconardo da Vinci, the glory of
the museum, and finally, a group of works belonging
to his School and others by Florentine artists, in
which we see thc beginnings of the characteristic
features of the sixteenth century. Once more we
come to the central alcove, which scparatcs the
second bay from thc third. Hcre a few of the worlds
most famous pictures have been grouped: pictures
from the collections of Franois I and Louis XlV,
thus representing both the core and the origin of the
museum. Grouped around the Mona Lisa, we see
Titians Laura Dianti, Fran,coioiJ I and ANegoy, and
Raphaels Balthapar Castiglione and /earme dAragon.
The Italian School has reached its apogee.
Going on to the third bay, we pass through thc
Schools period of perfcction followed by that in
which it developed mannerisms of style, to the re-
action led by Caravaggio. On the left-hand wall we
see the perfect maturity rcachcd with Raphael gradu-
ally degenerate with Giulio Romano and the early
Baroque painters. Opposite, on the right-hand wall,
we see the samc sccds of decadent refinement in the
painters who followed Correggio. Reaction was
inevitable; on the lcft, we see it take the form of thc
eclecticismof Bologna, to which Carraccis land-
scapes contribute their solid strength and Guercino
his romantic magic; on the right, it breaks out morc
sharply with Caravaggio and his followers, with
thcir rcalismcmphasized by violent contrasts of lighr
and shade.
95
We now comc to the fourth bay. We might havc
completcd the display of the Italian School by show-
ing here its eighteenth century painters; but
Caravaggios forcc called for an echo in the Iberian
Peninsula. Spains sevcnteenth century sccmed to
have a natural place here, and Caravaggio suggcsted
Ribera. \Ve therefnrc thought it would be truer to
history to insert the Spanish School at this point.
Moreover thc two small cupolas constructed by
Lefucl at either end of this bay (the last but one)
provided an opportunity to show in suitaulc isola-
tion, on velvet covered eascls, the Spanish primitives
in thc first and Goya in thc second, ,respectively
introducing and bringing to an end the grand and
daring art of which El Greco, Zurbaran, Murillo at
his best, and Vclazqurz wcre masters. Following the
Velasquez, the Goya cupola formed the only possible
bridge for cyeand niind, leading to the last bay and
thc Italian cighteenth ccntury, by which Goya was
hinlsclf influenced through Tiepolo. This last bay is
smaller in sizeandcontains thelastfloweringofltalian
art in Venicc, Naples, Rome and Genoa. By a happy
chance, the perspective of thc Grande Galerie is thus
closed by a large canvas by Pannini, which stands
before the door and shows a Roman picture gallery
whose sumptuous architecture is strangely rcminis-
cent of certain points in the architecture of the
Louvre whcre it is shown.
So much of the exhibition is at present open to
the public. Its full significance will only be apparent
in the days ahead, whcn the collections will be coni-
pleted by a scries of additional rooms now being
arranged. Large as the Grunde Galeric is, it proved
inadequate for works in which the monumental
sweep of ltalian painting appears. Somc idea of this
will be possiblc when, a fcw months hence, the
rooms lcading from the Escalier Denon to the Salon
Carr are opened. Botticellis frescocs have been
placed flush with the wall, in the fine hall built
by Percier and Fontaine at the top of the staircase
which then gave nccess to the Museumand on which
thc Winged Victory of Surnothrace now stands;
after Botticelli, othcr works - of religious inspira-
tion, not secular like his - will be shown in the Salle
Duchtl to complete this little museum of frescoes,
grouping several Luinis around Fra Angelicos great
Crtmjxion. I n the Sulori carr, completcly redecoratcd
and filled with the light strcaming in through its
newly pierced windows looking on to the river,
more examples of mural painting will be shown; da
Vinci will he brought to mind by the old copy of the
L ar: Supper, and Raphael by thc tapestry cartoons
of his school; finally, there will be a few large seven-
teenth century works.
But, it may be asked, what has becomc of the
Venetian painters and Veroneses Marriap at Cuna,
so well remembered by the public. We wanted to
give them a larger setting, more worthy of their
magnificent decorative quality. The Salle des Etats,
which was formerly uscd for the French nineteenth
ccntury, will bc set aside for thcm; through thc door
opening off the Grande Galerie betwccn the Giorgione
panel and the Titian panel, and closing the vista
formed by that great hall, thc Marriage at Cana the
largest canvas in thc world, will be sccn on the end
wall. Surrounded by masterpieces of Titian, Veronese
and J acopola da Bassano, its glorious expanse will be
displayed in the light and air it deserves. Before thcn,
the halle des Etats will have been cleared of its me-
diocre pseudo-sculptures and made a worthy sctting
for these guests of honour.
The large paintings by Gricault, Delacroix,
Courbet, etc., rcmoved to makc space for them, will
thcn be grouped with those by David and Gros,
forming the counterpart to the large Italian paint-
ings in the two aisles formed, on either side of the
Paidlon Denon, by what were French seventeenth
and eighteenth century Rooms.
Thus, in a few months time, the new exhibition
of the Italian and Spanish Schools will be complete.
We should mention that it will be supplemented by
a series of lesser rooms close to the Grunde Galerie
in which the Camondo Collection used to be;
hcrc, it will hc possible to study some less im-
portant pictures, hung closer togcther. On thc
same systemas that uscd at the Mude de IZrnpresJ-
ionisme, whcrc explanatory pancls have been installed,
the small room at the end of the Grande Galerie, in
which the exhibition of French Primitives used to
begin, will be occupied by wall diagrams, a map
and a chronological table, enabling the visitor to
gain some knowledge of essential facts or to refresh
his memory. While the respect due to a work of
art forbids that it should be surrounded by any
form of educational material, it is affectation to deny
a museumthe use of such assistancc to thc under-
standing of thc works with rcgard to history. But
utmost discretion must be used. If carefully arranged,
the provision of such information can in no way
interfere with thc pleasure of thosc who do not need
or desire it, and they havc no reason for wishing sel-
fishly to deprive others who, by this means, may be
hclped to an understanding of or interest in art.
Thus thc Department of Paintings is steadily
playing its part in the work of rearranging and
transforming the Louvre, which has been pursued
for morc than twenty ycars by the Directors of the
National Museums. Boldly planned at the beginning
by M. Henri Verne, and energcdcally pursued by
M. J acques J aujard who stamped it with his intelli-
gence and vigour, the work is now being completed
and bears witness cverywhere to the good taste and
understanding of M. Georges Salles. The efforts of
the Curators in every Dcpartnient arc thus being
coordinated. Onc day we may be astonished to
noticc how perfectly integrated this work has been,
going on for so many ycars with so many teams
of specialists in widely diverse subjects from ar-
chacology to the nineteenth century, and from the
Far East to our own country. Nevertheless, in every
room, in every Department, the Museumis imbued
with the same spirit; it has an individual personality
which is slowly emerging. May it bear witness in
favour of our European individualism, which is
to-day in such peril, and provide evidence that
individualism can successfully carry out a collective
task doing honour to the civilization of which it is
the outcome.
LA KGI NSTAL L ATI ON
DES COL L ECTI ONS D ANTI Q UI Tfi S
GRECQUES ET ROMAI NES
Suite de /a page 24
Les problmes qucposent les vascs malencontreu-
sement rcstaurs ne sont pas moins graves. La rgle
adopte est de supprimer tous les repeints, sauf
ventuellcment ceux qui nintresscnt que les l-
ments dcoratifs secondaires. Un certain nombre de
vases seront donc exposs avcc des lacunes, a la
place des parties repeintes ; beaucoup dautres, trop
restaurs, scront mis en rscrve; mais le nettoyage,
le dmontage et I C remontage des nombreux vases
dfigurs par des repeints doivent etre excuts mi-
nutieusemcnt et entranent des frais considtrablcs.
Cest une uvrc de longue haleine qui demandera
encorc beaucoup de temps.
Nous noublions pas quen dfinitive ces objcts
quil a fallu longuement tudier pour les classer et
les disposer sous le meilleur jour sont dcstins tre
montres aux visiteurs du muse. Quoi quon fassc,
il est certain que lon ne peut rcndre une galerie de
cramique grecque aussi facilement acccssible que
des salles de peinture ou de sculpture. Cest pourquoi
nous avions pens runir, dansunc sorte de salle dini-
tiation, un petit nombre duvres choisies parmi les
plus belles et les plus caractristiques dela production
des ciramistcs et des coroplathcs grecs. Le projct na
pi1etre excut. hfais lon sest efforcC dattirer li1-
trkt du public en lui donnant, sous une forme claire,
les renseignements aptes ;I le guider et le retenir.
Aux tiquettes dcstines A prciscr la nature de
lobjct, sadate et sa provenance, sajoutent les ins-
criptions en grandes capitalcs qui, dans le haut des
vitrines, donnent IC nom des principaux centres de
production; des cartes permettent de situer ceux-ci
dans le monde ancien et dapprcier par exemple
lextension de lactivit des ateliers grecs et les rcla-
tions du monde hellCnique avcc les autrcs civilisations
antiques. Des notices, dans chaque salle, sattachent
caractriser I C style de chacun dcs ateliers qui y sont
reprsents et donncnt des indications sur lvolution
des techniques et du dcor.
On a vu quc lanouvelle tnthode de prsentation
nous obligeait i retirer des salles dexposition un
trs grand nombre dobjcts. I1 a donc fallu installer
des rserves o ces objets sont classs de manitre
etre facilement acccssibles. Dautrc part, ds que
nous en aurons les moyens, nous transformerons
notre magasin leplus spacieux en muse secondaire,
accessible a des groupcs dirigs, ou mme, certains
jours, au public. Dans cc muse secondaire seront
prsentes les plus importantcs des uvres quc lcs
ncessits du ramnagement nous ont amens
sacrifier. On y trouverait dautre part dcs renseigne-
ments sur les diffrentes techniques pratiques dans
lAntiquit; et notre intention est dy organiser des
expositions priodiqucmcnt renouvelcs, destinies
illustrer les divers aspects de la vie antique, en
utilisant prcisment les objets de nos rserves les
plus significatifs par leur valeur documentaire.
I1faut, en concluant, rappeler quels sont lcs prin-
cipcs ou les intentions qui ont prsid au ramCnage-
ment dcs collections dantiquits grccques et ro-
maines et qui continueront de nous guider dans nos
travaux. Nous avons pens dabord que notre muse
est avant tout un muse dart. Nous nous sommes
donc efforcs, avec les ressources architccturales
uniques quoffre le Louvre, de faire que dans chaque
galerie ou mtme dans chaque salle rgne un ordre
ou un rythme en accord avcc le caractkre et le style
des objets qui y sont exposs. Lidal (mais peut-on
y atteindrc?) est que le visiteur se sente dans ladis-
position la plus favorable goter lauvre dart et
quil prouve, dbs le premier contact, leffet dune
prsence bienfaisante. Mais nous avons voulu aussi
introduire le visiteur, qui souhaite comprendre ce
quil voit surtout quand il sagit dart ancien, dans
un circuit facile a parcourir, oh il puisse, travers les
sicles, suivrc le dvcloppcnienc dune forme dart.
Nous avons meme dans certains cas fait flchir la
rigueur de laprsentation esthtique pour quc len-
seignement historique, tout en restant discret, soit
plus clair et plus complet. I1 nest pas doutcux quil
restc des amliorations apporter dans ce domaine
et cest pourquoi lamnagement dun muse secon-
daire nous parat trs dsirable. Le muse secondaire
peut en effet devenir .un vritable muse ducatif,
complment du muse dart, lieu dtudes et de
rccherches o les savants, les tudiants et les curieux
trouveraient une abondante documentation sur les
anciennes civilisations.
REI NSTAL L ATI ON OF T HE
COL L ECTI ONS OF GREEK AND
ROMAN ANTI QUI TI ES
continued front page 1 4
exhibit them separately, which is explained by pos-
sibly rather rigid rulcs of methodical study. If w e
adhere to the traditional scparation, this is mainly
due to the arrangement of our galleries; thc Cam-
pana Gallery, with its cnormous wall-cases, was con-
ceived for the installation of pottery collections, and
it would be impossible to considcr mingling our two
groups of minor arts without completely trans-
forming the furnis$ings, a thing at present impos-
dble, ~t the same time we are awarc that there is
nodng j mutabl c about classifications and display,
and no doubt our successors will find occasion to
mdfY or evcn completely transform the prescnt
Y- -
egements.
prior to the work begun in 1934 under the
&ction of M. Etienne Michon, only the Roman
busts, among antique inarblcs, were arranged in
donological order. One room had bccn reserved
for sculpture found in Greece itsclf, two rooms for
brought from Asia Minor. Most of the
d p r e exhibited in these three rooms consisted of
Greek originals of all periods. The Roman sarco-
phagi, thcn, as now, fillcd the two galleries opening
to the right and left of the main cntrance to the
Museum. Finally, the Venus of Milo and the Victory
of Samothrace wcre displayed in an isolation which
thev still enjoy, subject to a few changes of detaill.
-.-
ln ;he other rooms the statucs and reliefs, most Of
themfrom Italy, wcrc arranged decorativcly : it had
ben thought that there was no rcason to arrange
these works systematically, many of them having
ben frequently rcstorcd and all of them being only
Roman replicas of Greek OrigidS.
The first thing to be done was to remove mediocre
over-restorcd specimens or those of a too strictly
archaeological interesta. The next was to rearrange
&the sculpture intended for exhibition, grouping it
in periods, from thc archaic to the Roman era. I n
this general rearrangement we had, of course, to
include Roman replicas of rccognized importance to
the history of Greek sculpture, where thcy so often
take the placc of lost originals. This being so, there
could beno question of supcr-imposing a geographi-
cal arrangement upon a chronological one : the num-
ber oforiginal spccimensof known origin is not large
enough to permit of scparate groupings. An cx-
ception, however, is made in the case of Attic steles,
most of which have been placed together in the first
of the two rooms devotcd to Greek funerary and
votivc reliefs.
The method of displaying works of a group
belonging to a givcn period or even, in the casc of
Praxiteles, the creations of a single artist, has had to
beadapted to the architectural sctting. Most of the
ground floor rooms, which are reserved for Grcck
sculpture, have walls made of a bcautiful purplish
red marblc. Somc visitors of austere taste find this
mural adornmcnt out of harmony with Greek sculp-
ture. We know, however, that the Greeks loved
Akxight colours and, although they seldom used
coloured marbles, there is the example of the Ercch-
theion frieze, the white marble figurcs of which
had a dark blue liincstone background. The Romans
in any casemade free use of these rich materials and
wedo not consider that our ancient marbles - which
Were made for the decoration of Roman buildings -
Out of kceping with this sumptuous but discrect
Most of the Greek originals are dis-
Played against a more sober background: the walls
of the Archaic Room, which were not built of
marble, have becn covcred with plastcr in imitation
of the mellowed limestone of Mediterranean coun-
tties; in the next room, whose proportions arc well
Buited for monumental sculpture, thc slab of the
Parthenon frieze stands out from a background of
Pollshed stonc, while thc two Olympian nlctopes
strongly with the colourcd marble behind
them.
\
The Venus of Milo, at the end of the same
has ken brought one rootii forward. The base
Of the Victory of Samothrace, which is formcd like
bows of a ship, has had a portion of the prow
to its place; the statue itself has been raised
\Ipon a Pedestal so that it stands out better from the
h e.
' The Greck and Latin inscriptions havc been
in an cpigraphic gallcry available to esperts
a students.
We may here obscrve how good architectural
grouping has made it possible, at the two ends of thc
sequence of rogms giving onto the Garden of the
Infanta, to display to the best advantage both the
slab of the Parthenon frieze and a group of thrcc
statues of the Schoolof Praxiteles - the Apollo with
the Lizard, the Vcnus of Arles and the Diana of
Gabies. Similarly, the Caryatidcs Room, with its
renaissancc ornament, is admirably in keeping with
the scholarly refincments of Ilellenistic sculpture;
and the Court of the Sphinx, with an enormous glass
roof, offers its vast dimensions andlarge wall-spaces to
our collection of monumental sculpture -the friezcs
of Magnesia of the Meandcr, the Assos reliefs - to
the architectural fragments of the Didymeion of
Miletus and thc large mosaic of the Seasons, dis-
covered during the excavations of Antioch and in-
stalled during the war. Finally, it is ccrtain that the
Venus of Milo, placed at the end of a long vista, and
the Victory of Samothracc half-way up thc Daru
staircase, owe a considerable part of thcir popularity
to their unusual architectural setting.
Although the number of works on exhibition has
been greatly reduced, the need to leave enough space
for the public has made it impossible to place all
statues as far from the walls as we should have liked,
and to leave enough clear space around them for
them to be wen in all their aspccts. The finest ex-
hibits arc raised upon a rcvolving base, a practicc we
should like to extcnd further, and the value of which
is especially cvident in rooms where the lighting is
lateral. The revolving stand eliminates the disadvan-
tages of this form of lighting, which is brighter and
richer in contrasts than overhcad lighting. Where wc
had to sclect a form of artificial lighting, wc decided
against indirect lighting, which bathcs sculpture in
too uniform a light and robs rcliefs of some of thcir
vigour. Instead we havc used direct lighting thrown
upon the object in the same way as daylight (the
arrangement of the statuary bcing designed to make
the utmost use of light coming in from the tall win-
dows), but the cffects of this have bccn remedied by
fixing spotlights in the upper part of the windows.
I n this way the light, falling upon the statues from
above, at any ratc partly combines the advantages of
overhead and lateral illumination.
I n the reinstallation of our ceramic room, on the
first floor, we unfortunately lacked the funds which
helped to solve the problem of displaying our sculp-
tures. We have had to be content to use the former
furnishings, that is, the big and very fine wall-cases
dating from the Second Empire, and cases down the
middlc of the rooms, of various forms, but chosen
so as to obtain an adequate unity of presentation in
each room. With limited mcans we have managed
to carry out the gencral scheme inspircd by M. Mer-
lin and to breathe new life into our fine collection of
ancient ceramics and terra-cottas.
The Louvre's wealth in these branchcs of art has
hcre allowed an arrangement which is both chrono-
logical and geographical. The first room is dcvoted
to thc geometrical styles of Attica, Boeotia, the
Islands and to the oricntalized stylc of Rhodes. Thc
second room contains the archaic products of the
schools of Corinth, Ionia arid Boeotia and the Chal-
cidian and Laconian vases. l hc five rooms that
follow arc dcvoted almost cntirely to Attic pottery,
first with black, and thcn with red figurcs, a series of
masterpieccs, thc development of which is shown in
conjunction with that of terra-cotta statuettcs from
Boeotia, Attica and Southern Italy. Products of the
Fourth Century and of the Hellcnistic period, pro-
minent among them the incomparable collcction of
terra cottas from Myrina, are shown in the last two
rooms. The new method of display consists, first,
in the juxtaposition of paintcd vases and terra-cottas,
formerly kept separatc and, secondly, in the strict
sclcction of objects, for their numbcr has been con-
siderably reduced. Further, an arrangement of racks
i n the wall-cascs has madc it possible to vary the level
of the glass slabs on which the objects stand. I n this
way, vases or statuettes can be displayed to suit their
form and size, thus imparting to groups variety and
rhythm. The backs of the wall-cases arc painted in a
rather light green colour harmonizing with the dark
Dmpire green of the upper part of the walls and
happily in tune with thc different shades of tcrra-
cotta and the shiny blackness of thc Atticpottery.The
ccntral cases contain the finest specimens, or exam-
ples of schools other than those for which the wall-
cases are set aside. Hcre and therc mirrors have been
placed at various angles, so as to reflect decoration
which thc position of the vase in the case prcvents
the visitor from sccing directly.
The exhibition of both painted vascs and marble
statues raises the qucstion of restorations. Ideally
speaking, only completely authentic objccts or frag-
ments should be shown, and we know that the
vases, particularly those from thc Campana Collec-
tion, as also the ancient statuary of the royal or
princes' collections of the sixteenth to nineteenth
centurics, were oftcn restored in the vilest of taste.
As regards the sculpturcs, we must remember
that most of our ancient statues are Roman replicas,
which means that their documentary intcrest or
dccorative qualities often outweigh their artistic
value. This being so, and without sharing Picasso's
indulgent admiration for thosc composites of di-
verse anatomical pieces in which the rcstorers of
earlier agcs delighted, we have not seen fit to carry
out the surgical opcration of eliminating restorations
bcyond a certain point. I-Icads not belonging to thc
bodies on which they are fixed, have for the most
part been removcd. Several statues decapitated in
this way have instead been given the cast of a head
borrowcd from a more complete rcplica of the same
original (a proccdure which has instructional uses
but is aesthctically questionable and can only be ap-
plied to second-ratc replicas). We shall probably
have to weed out a number of restorations hitherto
preserved, but it is work which can only procccd
slowly and with evcry care and precaution.
No less serious are the problems of how to deal
with badly rcstored vascs. The rule wc have adopted
is to suppress all repainted parts, except pos-
sibly so far as repainting is confined to decorative
features of minor importance. A ccrtain number of
vascs will, thereforc, be shown with blank spaces in
the place of thc repainted parts; many othcrs, being
over-restored, will be kept in storagc; but the clean-
ing, disassembling and reasscmhling of thc many
vases disfigurcd by repainting must bc carried out
with extrcme care and it is costly. It is a long-term
task and will require a great dcal of time.
We do not forget that these objects which it has
taken us so long to classify and arrange to the bcst
advantage, are incant primarily to be secn by the
public. Do what we may, it is impossible to make a
gallery of Greek pottcry as easy of access as rooms
of paintings or sculpture. For that reason, it was our
first idea to collect in a kind of introductory room a
few works chosen from among thc best and most
characteristic examples of Grcek pottery and terra
cotta work. This plan wc were unablc to carry out,
but wc have tried to arouse the intcrcst of the public
by giving it, in a clear form, thc information neces-
sary to guidc and retain its intcrest. Labels indi-
cating the nature of the work, its date and origin,
are supplementcd by inscriptions in block letters,
which, placcd at the top of the cases, give names of
the chicf centres of production. Maps enable the
visitor to locate these centrcs in the ancicnt world
and to grasp, let us say, the spread of the activity of
the Grcck schools or the relations between thc Hcl-
lcnic worldand other ancient civilizations. Wall labels
put up in each room describe the stylc of each of the
sckools rcprcsented in it and give particulars con-
ccrning the devclopment of tcchniqucs and tleco-
ration.
97
Mush DU LOUVRE. Antiquitks orientales. Salle de
Suse. - Epoque achemenide.
I t will have been observed that the new method
of display has obliged us to withdraw a very large
number of objects from exhibition. This has made
it necessary to install store-rooms, where these
objccts arc so arranged as to be casily available.
Moreover, as soon as we have the funds, we shall
convert our largest storc-room into a secondary
museum open to guided parties, or even on certain
days to the public. This secondary museum will dis-
play the most important among those works which
the needs of rearrangement havc compelled us to
sacrifice. I t will also contain information on the
different techniques of ancient times, and it is our
intention to hold periodical cxhibitions there to
illustrate the various aspects of antiquity. For this
purpose we shall draw upon those objects in our
store-rooms whichare of greatest documentary value.
98
LOUVRE. Oricntal antiquities. Susa Gallcry. -
Achaemenid period.
I n conclusion, we must recall the principles or
aims which have governed the rcassembly of our
Greek and Roman collections and which will con-
tinue to guide our work. We hold, to begin with,
that our museum is, above all, an art museum. Aided
by the unique architectural resources of thc Louvre,
we have, therefore, endeavoured to secure for each
gallcry, and even each room, a sequence or rhythm
in keeping with the character and style of the works
it exhibits. The idcal (perhaps unattainable) is that
the visitor should be put in thc best possible mood
to enjoy the work of art and that, on first coming
into contact with it, he should feel a beneficient in-
flucnce. We have also tried to make sure that the
visitor who wishes to understand what he sees,
especially in the case of ancient art, is directcd along
an casy route by which he can follow the develop-
ment of a particular form of art through the ages.
I n some cases wc have even relaxed the rigour of
acsthctic presentation in order that thc historical
lesson to bc Icarncd, without being forced, may
be clearer and more complete. NO doubt there
are improvements to be made in this direction, and
that is why wc arc strongly in favour of equipping
a secondary muscum. This sccondary museummight
becoine a really educational niuscutn supplementing
thc art muscum, a place of study and research where
professionals, students, and anyone who was inter-
ested, would find an abundance of information on
thc civilizations of old.
T HE DEPARTMENT OF ORI ENTAL
ANTI QUI TI ES
continued from page 29
To gain space, and to enable visitors to go
through the museumin a singlc tour, the architects
had dug three basements: Saint Germain LAuxer-
rois, Marengo and Sully, which became three crypts.
The first was assigned to Egypt; the secon dwas very
wissly used by our predecessors, MM. Dussaud and
Contenau for our rich collcction of Phoenician sar-
cophagi, which could not be more suitably placed.
Room XIV, also in the basement, was equally well
suited for the display of the reliefs of Palmyra, nearly
all of which are funeral memorials, while on the steps
lcading down to this crypt and this room wcrc placed
other funeral monumcnts, including Phoenician ones,
(cippuses, lions and tutelary figures), in ordcr to
maintain a certain unity and the samc atmosphcre.
Thcrc rcmained the Sully Crypt. The size of our
collections compclled us to cram into these three
underground rooms not only sarcophagi from Palcs-
tine and Carthage, but sculpture from Syria and
Hauran, as well as Aramaean, Punic, Himyarite and
Nabatean steles. Although thcsc evidcnces of many
pcoplcs may, at first sight, seemto make rather incon-
gruous company, thcir assembly in the same place
restored to them a unity which belongs to them,
since they are part of a single civilization of csscn-
tially Semitic origin.
Thus everything found its place, in a fairly short
space of time and we had thcn to carry out the
ncccssary historical arrangement +ithin each gco-
graphical section. Rooms I - IV now show the
history of Mesopotamia in main pcriods, in accor-
dancc both with chronology and with thc political
and cultural importancc of the dynastic cities. Wc
were naturally led to display in Room I the earliest
antiquitics of Sumer, and Accad (middle of the
Third Millenary B. C.); in Room II Sumer, in its
final phase (Third Millenary B. C.), well illustrated
at the Louvre by our collections from Tcllo; Room
I I I was dividcd between the two dynastic citics of
Mari and Larsa; Room I V is given to Babylon
with King Hammurabi, whose Codc marked the
conclusion of a long phase.
When the rcniains of a city are shown in a single
room (as with Mari, Babylon and Kas Shamra), thc
exhibits havc bccn arranged within the roomchrono-
logically. Thus, in the Mari room (IV) thedocu-
ments from the Temple at Ishtar (bcginning of Third
Millenary B. C.), those of the Palace (beginning of
Second Millenary), and those of the Assyrian gar-
rison (middle of Second Millenary) are shown in
differcnt cases. I n the Mari room, takcn again as an
example, we show the big painting of the Investiture
at thc level at which it stood in Court IOG of the Mari
Palace, and the bronze lion in the exact situation it
occupied at the doorway of the Temple of Dagan,
whilc the foundation stone of the same sanctuary has
been rcconstructcd as it existed 4,000 years ago. Only
thc pebbles are of atiothcr period.
Thc classification and display of exhibits thus
conform to strict principles and carcfully thought-
out intentions, Expcrts will find what they want
without difficulty, but it was thought that things
should be madc casier for the ordinary visitor, who
is almost entirely ignorant of Oriental mattcrs. His
to the subjcct had to be discrcctly
sided. At the entrance to the Department hangs an
,,chaeological map by a glance at which the visitor
find the gcographical area he proposes to tour.
The sites corresponding to the antiquities exhibited
in the Louvre are indicated, and followed by
numbers, or letters, rcfcrring to thc room or crypt
in which the object is displayed. A plan of the De-
partment supplics further aid, if needed.
The rooms are numbercd and a map providcs
certain indispensable dctails. A short historical
note gives the specific facts (dates, environment,
making it possible to recreate thc
atmosphere illustratcd and cvoked. We havc also
placed hcre and there a number of photographic
I t was considered that a West-
erner with no personal rccollcctions of the East
may and should be interested if, for instance,
passing the Aramaean stelcs from Neirab, he can
see nearby a photo of thc actual prescnt-day
viuage (with its clustcrs of houses), where these
monuments were found. We also thought that the
name of Babylon would suggcst a great deal more
if it were accompanied by a few plates showing the
palaces on thc banks of the Euphratcs. Nor, in view
of all that the museums owe to scientifically con-
ducted archaeological rescarch, could wc omit to
select a fcw illustrations of great research sites being
worked, as at Tello, Mari, Ras Shamra and Byblos.
The objects shown in glass cases are fcw, for it
was essential to avoid an impression of bric-i-brac.
We have rctaincd the museumpicces and also typcs
examples. All of these arc accompanied by simple,
briefly worded descriptive labels. Thesc do not take
tb place of a catalogue, but are intended to help
visitors to know just what they are looking at.
The text of these small labels, which are made of
opaque rhodoid and are inclined at different anglcs
according to the position of the exhibit, contains in
this ordcr, the following particulars : dcscription of
object, what it is made of, its datc, where found,
how acquired (purchase, gift, cxcavation), and in-
ventory number. This applies not only to objects in
glass cases, but also to large monuments shown in
the open. To takc an instance, onc of the statues from
Gudea will bcar this inscription: Statue from Gudea,
diorite, end of Third Millenary B. C., Lagash (Tello),
Sarzec excavations, A 0 2.
It will also be seen that we have takcn care to
give everything a uniform and light colouring.
The exhibition case must not compete with thc
object inside it. Backgrounds have becn either
painted in the same light shade or covered with
raffia matting. Thc use of glass silk (in the jewel
cases) was not found statisfactory, as this material
Proved brittle and difficult to drape. Thc whole pre-
%ntation of the Dcpartments prccious objects now
in Roomv is about to be undertaken anew with a
view to altering both the angle of pancls and the
MUBE DU LOUVRE. Antiquits orientalcs. Salle de
PhhiCie. - Vitrinc de Ras Shamra.
Louvne. Oricntal antiquit ics. Phoenicia Gallcry. -
Ras Shamra Case.
quality of backgrounds. Plexiglass will be brought
into general use, but stone or wooden pedestals
(black is to be avoidcd) will continue to be employed,
especially where certain objects require setting off
against warmtones. But everything must be sober in
line and the size of pcdcstals must be in harmony
with the dimensions of the specimen. I n othcr words,
pedcstals are not interchangcablc; each must cor-
respond exactly to the object for which it is espe-
cially made.
Since J une 1947 the Department of Oriental
Antiquities has been visited by very large numbers
of peoplc. We have been gratificd by the welcome
givcn to our Dirphy Mureum, as we have arranged
and installed it with an excellent teamof collabora-
tors. Now we intend to establish a Working Mu-
seum beside this Display Museum and in galleries
that are still closed, where the rest of the col-
lections, likcwise regrouped and classified, will
be acccssihle to research workcrs, museum experts
and students. I n this way the whole ancient world
will berecallcd to view, the large rooms containing
its masterpieces, and the workshops its more
modest samples, including the more mutilated spe-
cimens, whosc study, however, will certainly be quite
as rewarding. The human soul throughout in its
chcquered quest, with its failures, strivings to-
wards the light and occasional triumphs, will be
rcvealcd in its fullness. Man of the twentieth cen-
tury may then realizc that the museums will not have
worked in vain, if they have first prcscrved for him,
and thcn restored to him, this heritage of many
thousands of years. ~
T HE DEPARTMENT OF OBJETS DART
continued from page 3 j
The last illustration shows one of the rooms
at thc Tapestry Exhibition arranged at the Murie
d Ar f Moderne in 1346. Georges Sallcs wanted me
to show as many tapestries as possible and at the
samc time to avoid any effect of flatness; accord-
ingly I had most of the tapestries hung very low
so that the public were brought closer to them and
could feel their atmosphere by being surrounded by
them, bathed in thcm, as it were. I drcw on our own
museums and also on resources generously put at
our disposal by the DQartement des Monuments Hirfo-
ri pes to introducc a quantity of ornaments, furni-
ture, staincd-glass windows ctc., which had the
doublc effect of providing relief and giving life. I
used the same formula in the subscquent exhibitions
at Amsterdam, Brussels, London and New York,
though retaining flexibility and trying, on each oc-
casion, to selcct tapestries appropriate to the ac-
commodation at my disposal.
T HE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF T HE
E GY PTI AN COL L ECT10 N S
continued front paqe 37
Por thcse cases blocks had to be providcd, but
thcsc blocks could not always be of thc same form.
Nor was there any need for them to be, since certain
types wcrc suitnble for scveral different classes of
cxhibir. Six main types were selected. A necessarily
brief description of thcse inodcls of blocks will
conclude this article.
I . Certain articlcs of medium sizc are of such
delicate artistic quality that thcy could not be shown
in the middle of a crowded case without loss ofcffcct.
On thc other hand,it was not possible to display them
cach on a separatc stand, since the number of thesc in
one roomcould not beincrcased withoutunplcasantly
distracting the visitors attention. Thc best solution
secmed to us to be to exhibit these pieces in groups
of five on a block consisting of a fairly low stand in
the shape of a cross, in the centre of which stands a
cube of a height varying with the object it carries.
On this cubc is the central specimen; it also serva
as a background to each of the four objects arranged
on the arms of the cross.
2. Thc Amarnidn specimens occupy a casc which
is much longer than it is wide. For them, a pylon-
shaped block on a base with a bcvclled top was
designcd. Recesses were providcd as requircd in the
four sides of the pylon, enabling choice pieces to bc
isolated, and thc bevelled edge of the base was rcser-
ved for small objects which could only be cxhibited
in groups. All the othcr blocks are related in forin
to a pyramid, or rather to the frustum of a pyramid,
sincc a flat top was necessary for the display of the
central piece.
3 . Only in exceptional cases is this pyramid regu-
lar. I n these particular cascs it was requircd to set off
certain archaic and Thiiiite articles of widely differing
shapes. Two of the faces of thc pyramid wcrc left as
inclined planes, the othcr two were cut away so as to
make a small rcccss between two thin inclined planes,
Thc other irregular pyramids are octagonal.
4. Some consist of four large sides with sloping
surfaces or with rccesses, according to requirements,
and of four small sides complctely cut away and oc-
cupicd by small shelvcs of glass. By means of this
admittedly somewhat complicated plan, the most
varied objccts can be exhibitcd on the same block
without clashing.
5 . I n two cascs, a block of thc type just de-
scribed, but not so high, is surmounted by a second
similar but smaller block so as to makc on the cut-
off top of the largcr stand a narrow ledge running
round all cight sides and perfcctly suited to the dis-
play of rings or small valuable objects. Theseblocks
were also deviscd for our two cascs of jewels. The
four largc sides of the upper pyramid form, in one
casc, sloping surfaces and, in the other, recesses,
each of which is occupied by two small stcps of a
fitting size for the objects placed on them.
6. The last block is suggested by the steppcd
pyramid. Each of the four cqual faces of this
truncatcd pyramid has a reccss in the centre. Articles
arc arranged both in thc recesses on thc shelves made
by the steps of thc pyramid, and on the sloping sur-
faces bctween the different levels of the block. These
stands are particularly suitable for bronzes, amulcts
and small glass and ivory objects.
Such are briefly the inuseographical principles
which we have sought to apply. Obviously thcy
have no absolutc value, for muscography is largely
an empirical science. A principle which, in a parti-
cular set of circumstances or in a given setting has
produced happy results, may not be found suitable
in othcr cases. The purpose of this articlc has been
only to make one particular experiincnt known tc>
the readers of a review which is entirely devoted to
the scrvice of museums. By comparing thc different
solutions found to thc many problcms which con-
front them, and gathering herc and there an original
idea, museum curators may be able to prcscnt to the
public in an ever nmrc revealing light, an ever sharpcr
relief, the varicd objects entrusted to thcir charge.
Collcctivcly, these objects constitute thc finest tri-
bute which could bc paid to the already ancicnt
civilization which nun, that adtnirable artist, has
succccdcd in fashioning.
U NE HXPBRI ENCE: LE MUSCE DE
L I MPRESSI ONNI SME suite de lapage 4/
dune collaboration tacite cntre laction dc lEaVdt
ct linitiative prive, cellc-ci venant coinpltcr celle-
1A sur les points o clle tait dficicnte,ce qui fut pr&
cismcnt IC cas pour llmprcssionnismc, longtemps
proscrit par les pouvoirs publics, coniine non con-
forme i lesthtiquc officielle. Le plus grand nombre
de ces uvrcs est group cn quatrc donations prin-
cipalcs: la premikre dc toutes, la collection Caille-
hotte, lCgue cn 1894, comporte 36 tableaux ac-
99
ccpts sur 67 lgus; la collection Moreau-Nelaton,
entre en 1906, consacte Corot, au Romantismc
et l'Impressionnisme, apporte 34 tablcaux de cctte
dcrnire cole sur un total dc 84. La collcction Ca-
mondo, en 1914, enrichissait IC Louvre de 69 ta-
bleaux et ladonation Persunnaz, en 1937, de 40. Six
tablcaux provicnncnt de la Socit des Amis du
Louvre et de celle des Amis du Luxembourg, et 98 dc
donations diverses. Seul Gustave Caillcbotte ne mit
aucune rcstriction lafacult pour les conservateurs
de distribuer ses tableaux, comme ils lentendaient;
toutes les autres donations comportcnt une clause
de non-divisibilit, Lorsque me fut confie la mis-
sion dinstaller ce niusc, jecrus la tache insurmon-
table; cependant jemaperus vite que lasensibilitd
de chacun des lgataires layant orient vcrs tel ou
tel aspect de IImprcssionnisme, chaque collcction
avait une personnalit qui pouvait permettre une
succession logique, tout en respectant la volonti:
lgitime des donatcurs de ne pas voir disperscr ce
quils avaient runi. La fine scnsibilit de Moreau-
Nlaton, passionn de Corot, avait Ctsduite par
son prolongcmcnt dans lImpressionnisme; la ma-
jeure partie de ses paysagcs datent de 1870-1872 et
sont antrieurs lexplosion de lacouleur pure. Gus-
tave Caillebotte, pcintre lui-meme, et qui possdait
Mush DU LOUVRE
Antiquits gyptiennes. ijoux du Nouvel Empire.
A Argenteuil meme une villa que frquentrcnt ses
amis, avait surtout rassembl dcs rmvrcs de 1Cpoquc
dArgenteuil qui vit lpanouissemcnt de 1Impres-
sionnisme; plus port6 vcrs les audaces modcrnistes, le
comtc Isaac de Camondo avait dirig son choix sur
Ctzanne, Van Gogh, les derniers Renoir et les srics
systmatiques dc Claude Monet. Quant Antonin
Personnaz, le plus rccnt de nos grands donateurs,
on dirait que, par un judicicux emploi de sa muni-
ficence, il ait voulu complter les lacunes des trois
autres, faisant entrcr au Louvre des uvrcs admi-
rables de Pissarro, de Lautrcc et une slection rc-
marquablc de Guillaumin. Au lieu que la rigiditt des
donations ait tb une gene, elle pouvait donc ap-
porter, au contraire, une richcsse sensible proprc
freiner hcureusement la tendance trop volontiers
systmatique quoi incline naturellement un conser-
vateur. La prsentation sanctionne donc heureusc-
ment IC got dc quelques grands amatcurs franais.
J ajoute que les reprscntants des donateurs sc sont
prtts, avec laplus grande libralit desprit, facili-
ter notre tche cn levant certaines difficults de dtail
quet entranes lapplication littrale des volonts
des tcstateurs; ceux-ci ne pouvaient videmment
prvoir les circonstances exceptionnelles qui font
peser aujourdhui sur nous leur dure contrainte.
LOWRE
Egyptian Antiquities. J ewellery of the New Empire.
.
Lcnsemble du mus& se prtsente donc ainsi. Au
rez-de-chaussCc ont t groupes toutes lcs Dcuvres
ou tendances qui prcbdcnt ou accompagnent 1Im-
pressionnisme au scns strict, cest--dire lesthcique
de lacouleur pure ct lexpression de lasensation in)-
mdiate (les pr-inipressionnistcs : Manet, Degas, Ba-
zillc, lcs uvres dcs paysagistes antkricures lpoque
dArgenteuil). Lc visiteur est accueilli par les artistes
eux-mmes, et quelques critiques contemporains,
grce aux trois grands tableaux de group pcints par
Fantin-Latour, qui rsument les trois CVdpeS de la
peinture franaise dc 1860 1890, et quclques
portraits de Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Uazillc. La salle
suivante est une sorte de prlude; autour duvres
de jeunesse de Sislcy, Monet, Pissarro, des tableaux
dc J ongkind, Boudin, Lpine, Corot, Chintrcuil,
Daubigny montrent linscnsible passage du Pr-lm-
pressionnisme llmprcssionnisme. A la salle 3, salle
Morcau-Nlaton, le Dtjeutiersurlherh, dc bfaiict, CSC
un lever de ridcau; tout autour les wuvres exquises
de Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, Bcrthe Morisot, choisies
par le dlicat amateur, expriment une sensation in-
tensifie de la lumiere, mais traduite encore par le
systbme traditionnel des valeurs. Le grand vestibule
de lescalicr sest prtt fort bien la prkscntation
murale des deux grandes compositions brosses par
Toulouse-Lautrec pour la baraque de foire de La
Goulue. Puis vient la salle Manet, exposc intention-
nellement au nord dont la lumire froide convient
mieux aux tons plats de lartistc. Lui fait suite lasalle
Bazille o les uvres de cet artiste et les Femmes au
jardin, de Monet, marquent bien le premier parti de
lImpressionnisme qui scmblait etre lincorporation
dc lafigure au plein air. Cest lafigurc humaine, ex-
prime dans toute lintensit du caractre individuel,
qui fait lobjet de la sallc suivante, consacrte aux
Dcuvres de jeunesse de Degas. Puis vienncnt deux
salles de lacollcction Camondo o dominent Manet
et Degas; des paysages de Monet et Sisley y font pr-
voir, en quelques modulations, le thbmc dc livresse
lumineuse qui va spanouir lktage. La transition
de lescalier constitue unc courte pause mais, aux
dcrnieres marches, le visiteur est conimc happ par
le merveilleux appel de plein air de cinq tableaux de
Monet et Sisley; la supprcssion des cadres donne
lillusion de pntrer dans lespace meme de ces
uvres lumincuses. Laile gauche de lescalier esc
consacre lpanouisscmcnt de lImpressionnisme,
lailede droite son dpassement. Au fond, gauche,
la salle Caillebotte, o rayonnent le Moulin de la Gu-
lette et la Gare St I- qure, de Monet, exprime la
conquete de la lumire par la coulcur, lpoque dite
dArgenteuil. Une salle est exclusivcment consacre
Renoir; puis on rcvicnt sur le palier o les deux
sallcs de la collection Personnaz, ouvcrtes par deux
larges baics sur le jardin, montrent comment certains
artistes ont su concilier IC lyrisme de la couleur avcc
le respect du motif paysage. La dcrnikrc partie montre
la reaction des annes 1884 contre Ilmpressionnisme
spontan de 1874. Ccst dabord une Salle Czanne
qui fait pendant la Salle Renoir. La Salle Gauguin
groupe tous lcs Clments de loffensive anti-impres-
sionniste: Czanne, le Neo-Impressionnisme, le Sym-
bolisme. Les deux grands chcfs-duvre dHenri
Rousseau, la Guerre et la Charmeuse de serpents, ont
trouv ici une atmosphere favorable, ce qui a con-
firm la thse que jai dveloppc dans mon livre sur
lpoque impressionniste: lart du douanier, quabu-
sivement on range au XXC sitcle, est une forme auto-
didacte du Symbolisme dont Gauguin est la forme
impressionnistc et Puvis de Chavannes laspcct aca-
dmique (un tableau de Puvis rappelle dailleurs ces
analogies dans cette salle des confrontations). La dcr-
nibre salle, due A la donation Camondo, groupe des
tableaux appartenant aux sries des NyttrphuJ, de
Vetheuil et des Cathdrales de Claude Monet; cest le
final de la symphonie o 1Impressiontiismc se d-
passe lui-mme dans une effusion lyrique qui trans-
cende la sensation optique. Cctte salle oriente le vi-
siteur vers la visite des grandes pages dcoratives de
Montt: les ~ p j p h h , situds peu de distance de l,
,~ Mu& de l'orangerie.
Quelques bustes et figures par Rodin, Dalou,
en nombre discret pour ne pas nuire lunit
les tableaux et complttent
latmosphbre. Afin de faciliter au grand public la
de cette cole, quatre grands pan-
neaux documentaires exposent sorrlmairement la
g60gmphie, lhistoire et la technique de 1Imprcs-
sionnismc et fournissent quelqucs donndes biogra-
phiques, Ces commentaires ont kt situCs un em-
placement un peu cart, pour que lacontemplation
des (Euyres nen soit pas gente. Tous les tableaux
pour lesquels cette opration tait ncessaire ont t
d&arrasSS dun vernis souvent trs jauni qui 1cs
dfigurait; nous savons en effet qu lorigine dt.~
marchands crurent devoir attnuer, par un vernis
laspcct trop agressif des uvres, qui cho-
quaient les habitudes visuelles dcs acheteurs. Enfin,
un probltme trs difficilc rdsoudre sest pos: celai
des cadres. Depuis une dizaine dannes une poli-
tique gnralc de rencadrement des peintures est
poursuivie au Louvre. Pour les peintures anciennes,
le principe est simple, quoique difficile A raliscr et
fort dispendieux: on sefforce dc donner chaque
tableau une bordurc ancienne de la mPme poque.
Les tableaux impressionnistes de nos collcctions
&aient cncadrs en style dpoque, mais quel style?
La plupart des cuvrcs Ctaient affubltes daffreuses
bordures en faux Louis XV, dont lor chimique avait
tourne au noir ce qui enfermait ces crations lumi-
neuses cn des carons funtbres. L encore, les mar-
chands avaient d mettre aux tableaux de arichcsn
bordures ti la mode, pour nc pas trop drouter le
client. Par Seurat, Dcgas et Pissarro nous savons
quels cadres eussent dsirs ces artistcs: simples
baguettes blanches ou accordes au ton dominant
de luvre. Nous inspirer de ces intentions et r-
clam des expriences longues et coteuscs que nous
navions pas le temps de raliser. En dcapant quel-
ques cadres recouverts dor vritable, on a pu par-
venir les rendre possibles; les plus agressifs ont t
remplacs par des bordures dores trs simples et
anonymes. Des tablcaux de Czanne et Renoir, qui,
plus que dautres, ont respect ccrtaines rtgles de
composition traditionnellcs, ont pu recevoir des
cadres anciens; la sobrit du Louis XII1 convicnt
fort bien A Czanne, la richesse du Louis XIV et du
Louis XV met en valeur lapeinture de Renoir. Enfin,
pour les peintures dcs dernires annes de Monet qui,
pour la plupart, grimaaient dans des cadres hor-
ribles, il est apparu quaucune bordure ne pouvait
leur convenir. Ces uvres conues coniine dcs frag-
ments de ltcndue nadmettcnt aucune limite; la
mince baguctte dont lcs muses de Hollande entou-
rent les Van Gogh est encure pour eux une frontikre
trop brutale, comme nous lavons expriment; nous
nous cum-" contents dun filet de papier blanc
qui masque les clous du chassis et qui op& une
transition insctisible entre la pcinture et le mur, Le
Spectateur a limpression dentrer dans lespace du
tableau, de vivre dans ceplein air dont la suggestion
lui CSt oEerte par la peinture. PrCsente ainsi, tute
uric salle contenant des tableaux des sries de Monet
Y a KaSnune capcivante ambiance potique.
Le SUCCPS que le public franais a fait ce muse
a ProuvC combien il rpondait son attente. Du
1 mai, date de louverture, au 3 I mai 1947, I 5 5.000
entres payantcs y ont t enrcgistrdesl. Un signe
encore plus certain de cc succhs est linfluence que
cemuste a eue sut la mode. Certes, le retour aux
robes longues dans la hautc couture remonte B
Les 292 tableaux exposs au MusCe de lIm-
pressionnisme ont donc reu j 1 0 / ~ des visiteurs
Payants du Louvre ( z ~+ooo) ; mais les chiffres ne
Sont Pas comparables car le J eu dc Paume est payant
jours sur 7, contre 7 au Louvre, et, de plus, le
nw-hrc des visiteurs gratuits au Louvre est au moins
de 5.000 6.000 par semaine.
Degas,
-- - . _
MUS ~ ~ E DU JEU DE PAUME.
Ecole impressionniste. Panneau explicatif.
lhiver I 947. Mais alors les couturiers sorientaient
vers les modes 1900-1910; aux collections dhiver
1947, et plus cncore celles du printemps 1948,
J acques Fath, Maggy Rouff, Christian Dior, Ger-
maine Lecomte ont te plus loin encore et sont re-
monts jusquaux colifichets et aux tournures
18Ro/90. Le public fminin, qui lan dcrnier avait
boud cette initiative, a accueilli avec faveur les
innovations encore plus hardies de cette anne.
Gageons que le Muse de lImpressionnisme nest
pas tranger A toute cettf rvolution de llgance.
AN EXPERI MENT: THE I MPRESSI ONI ST
MUS E U N
confinHedfrom page 4 j
fatigue is a factor to which curators cannot give
tu0 much attention. Its nature is even more psycho-
logical than physical. Caused in the ordinary visitor
by lack of technical knowledge, in the connoisseur it
is induced by the vcry intensity of his feelings. Thc
emotional concentration required by a visit to a
niuseumcauses considerable nervous strain, and this
is further intensified in the case of the tourist whose
time is short and who is therefore torn between the
fear of not being able to look long enough at some-
thing that attracts himand that of possibly issing
some mastcrpiece. This fear may become an anguish
for the cultivated man who shuns specialization and
is interested in all the different kinds of art. I t is
moreovcr certain that the clinic type of muscum
contains further sources of fatiguc. The nervous
MU& DU JEU DE PAUME.
Impressionist school. Explanatory panel.
strain is increased by the impersonal environment,
the feeling of being cut off from the outside world
of living things, which some curators strove delib-
erately to create as the most :avourable to the
purity and spontaneity of aesthetic cxtasy. The
preferencc for overhead lighting, long accepted as
correct, in any case for paintings, contributed still
further to this overwhelmingly impersonal atmos-
pherc. Moreover, this artificial direction of light,
after some time, causcs a certain eye fatigue, a factor
that has so far received too little attention.
The ideal would be to walk about a museum as
in a garden, where even a long stay is a rccreation
rather than an exertion. To this end there must be
a harmony between the works ofart and their setting,
so that the visitor can feel that he is in a living and
natural environment. It is a good thing, whenever
possible, to arrange a view on to the world outsidc.
Unless the prospect is discordant (a busy, noisy
street), this allows afew moments of respite in which
thc powers of perception can be restored by contact
with nature; and when the view outside is in
harmony with the work on exhibition, the result is
cxccllent. For this purposc it is obviously necessary
to make at least partial use of lighting from the side;
which, while presenting certain disadvantages, is
perhaps better, when uscd with the necessary
modifications, than plunging the visitor in the ab-
straction of thc box with a luminous cover.
The adoption of this principle leads to a choice
of surroundings in keeping with the works to be
IO1
displaycd. In the United States of America this nced
has been so wcll understood that American mu-
scums have transportcd whole monuments from
Europc, at great expense. Thc finest examplc of
this kind of muscum, where the setting is itself
a niuseuin piece, is thc Cloisters in Ncw York,
which, thanks to a Rockefeller bequest to thc Me-
tropolitan rlluseum, was reassembled in a park,
in 1938, from odds and ends of fragments col-
lected by thc sculptor George Grey Barnard, from
whom they had bccn bought in 1926. Thc most
dclightful museums are those whcre the curator
has managcd to create an atmospherc having al-
most the quality of music. Examples of this kind
arc the Imperial Museum at Petropolis which has
been sct up in the former residence of Pedro IT,
ncar Rio dc J aneiro, and, in Brazil, thc cxquisite
Gold Museum at Sabara, arranged by a scho-
lary curator of taste, M. de Almeida, in a former
gold office. There arc now many museums of this
kind in Europe. The most magnificent example
of harmony betwccn setting and contents is thc
CaRczzonico at Venicc, a palace built by Raldas-
sarc Longhcna overlooking the Grand Canal and
in which are housed Venetian Rococo master-
pieces of painting and furniture. A two hours visit
to such a museum is no morc tiring than a gon-
dola trip on the lagoon.
An expriment of this kind has been tried at the
Impressionist museum, Before thc war our collcc-
tions of paintings ofthis period were divided between
two remotc parts of the Mude du Louvre. The pic-
tures in the Camondo Collection were grouped in
thrce small rooms, whcre even the views over thc
Tuileries gardens were unable to counteract the un-
fortunate effect of the crowding of these works, with
thcir frames touching. On the top floor of thecolon-
nadc, the other pictures were arranged more in
accordance with modern museographic principles.
Overhead lighting was used, however, in all thc
rooms, and these radiant images of out-door life,
deprived of space, sunshine and all contact with
nature, languished likc exiles.
Aftcr the Liberation, under the scheme for the
temporary reorganization of the Dpartement des
Peintures, special arrangements were contemplatcd
for the display of the Imprcssionists. The importance
of this school of French painting, its world-wide
popularity, its cohcrcnce of style, and the remarkable
unity of the artists belonging to the movement,
justified this emphasis on what is one of thc finest
achievements of Frcnch art. On the suggestion of the
curators of the Departnicnt, the former Jeu de Puunre
at the Tuilcries was chosen to house theImpressionist
paintings. This gave the latter an advantage in the
piccemeal reinstallation of our collections of paint-
ings; the dccision was due to the great popularity of
these masterpicccs and the publics keen desire to
see them again. I n view, moreover, of the forth-
coming opening of the hfude dArfmodern8, it was
desirable, from thc point of view of thc education of
public taste, that the artistic trends of the end of the
ninctcenth century should be shown concurrently
with those of modern art. The reappearance of the
Impressionist paintings, carefree reflections of hap-
pier days, was, to the Parisians, a symbol of the return
of peace.
The location of the Je# de Paunl8 lent itself ad-
mirably to the establishment of harmony bctween
setting and contents. It was built during the Second
Empire as a privatc tcnnis court for thc heir to the
throne, and consisted at that time of two large
rooms, thc upper part being lighted by arcaded
windows with a pavilion on either side. The Jeu
de Putmie, whose sober architecture fits in so well
with the bcautiful setting of thc Place de laConcorde
and the Tuileries gardens, was arranged as a museum
I o2
by M. Camille Lefkvre, thcn, in 1932, hcad architect
at the Pulais du Loritre. The two lsrgc courts were
dividcd into two storeys by a great cement floor,
each onc being partitioned into two series nf
rooms, facing north and south respcctively. The
architect had thc good tastc to leave thc largc
windows on the outside of the building, thus prc-
serving the aristocratic aspect of a Tennis Court.
Inside, however, nearly all the arches werc covered
over in order to create exhibition space and to
permit two large rooms on the uppcr floor to be
lighted by skylights, while the other thrcc galleries
on that floor were lighted by thc huge lateral wind-
ows which remained uncovered. A storage spacc
with sliding partitions was set up at the end of one
wing, and the ccntral pavilion replaced by a grcat
staircase. The ground floor continued to be lit from
the sides. From both the ground floor and the upper
floor, thereforc, one can look out. The arrangemcnt
of the gallery is excellent; it consists of a sequence
of rooms, small and large, rectangular or square,
this variety facilitating hanging problems end
allowing a harmony of space and absence of all
monotony. The different tncthods of lighting and
the variety of views outside are also pleasing features.
On the ground floor, a cold light, in keeping with
the urban sccne outside, comes in on the north side,
while the south side IS bathed in the warm light from
the Tuileries gardens, all green trees, water and sky.
From upstairs, the views over the gardens are more
extensive, exccpt in the two large top-lightcd gal-
leries, where therc is nothing to distract attention
from thc pictures. The Jeude Pume is an cxample of
the use that can be made of old buildings, though
adaptation was, of course, simplificd in this case by
the absence ofinternal divisions. There are, however,
certain technical disadvantages : for examplc, the
comparative thinness of the walls, and the fact that,
becausc the roof is at a very obtuse angle to the
walls, it IS impossible to install permanent air-
conditioning and the most that can be done is to
install ordinary central heating for the winter.
It was originally intendcd to house in this mu-
scumthe national collections ofcontcmporary forcign
art. After the war, however, the most suitable place
for these collcctions, which in any case necd com-
plete overhauling, seemed to be the large dude
dArt moderne, built in 1937 for the World Exposi-
tion. It was then decided to usc the admirablc J eu de
Paume as an Impressionist Museum for the display
of all the works of that pcriod owned by the Louvre;
this had the added advantage of bringing them nearer
to Monets Nymphim, which had been installcd at
thc artists own request in the Orungerie, a building
matching the /eu d8 Puume at the opposite corner
of the Tuileries. At the Jeu de Puunre, in its garden
setting, these hymns to the beauty of light and colour
would bc in direct contact with one of those land-
scapes which, with their delicate skies and subtle
colouring, inspircd the flowering of French artistic
perception known as Impressionism. So complete
is the harmony between the museumand its natural
surroundings that the visitor is hardly aware of an
indoors and anout-of-doors. A continual intcrchangc
can be made betweenimpressions gathered from with-
out and those from within. Real naturc can be com-
pared with painted nature; the lovely sky of the Ile
de France appears to be a continuation of the sky in
the pictures, and at the top of the staircase that looks
out on to the large pool in the Tuileries, the visitor,
pausing to watch the childrens boat-races, inay be
reminded of thc regattas of Claude Monet.
The rearrangement of the pictures presented a
very difficult problem. It was essential to display
them ina sequence thatwas both logicalandsensitive.
Now ncarly all our Impressionist collections are the
result of gifts and bequests; out of the total of 322
paintings only 12 per cent, 38 picturcs, represent pur-
chases by the State as compared with 284 acquired by
donation. This museumis the work of Frenchmen
rathcr than that of the State. It is an aspect of a phe-
nomenon pcculiar to French institutions that has
not been sufficicntly stressed. For a long time
public life in our country consisted in a tacit colla-
boration hctwcen activities on thc part of the State
and private initiaeivc, the latter making good thc
formcrs shortcomings. This was precisely what hap-
pcned in rcgard to Impressionism- for a long time
frowned upon by thc authoritics as not conforming
to official aesthetic canons.
Thc majority of these picturcs arc contained in
four principal donations: the first, consisting of the
Caillebotte Collection, was bequeathed in 1894 and
numbers 36 paintings from thc 67 of the original
bequest; thc Moreau-Nlaton Collection, which fol-
lowed in 1906, devotcd to Corot, the Romantics
and Impressionism, contains 34 Impressionist paint-
ings out of a total of 84. The Camondo Collcc-
tion (1914) enriched thc Louvre by 69 pictures, and
the Pcrsonnaz Bequest (1937) by 40. Six paintings
were presented by the Society of Fricads of the
Louvre and that of Friends of the Luxembourg, and
98 by various donors. Gustave Caillebotte alone put
no restriction upon thc right of curators to distribute
his pictures as they thought best. All the othcr
bequcsts contain a non-dispersal clause.
When thc responsibility for arranging this mu-
seum was entrusted to nie, I thought at first that the
task was beyond my power. But I soon realized that,
because thc taste and feeling of the donors had been
directed towards some particular aspect of Impres-
sionism, each bequest had a pcrsonality which madc
it possiblc to obtain a logical sequencc while paying
due heed to the donors legitimate wish not to see
his collection dispersed. The refined sensibility of
Moreau-NClaton, a devoted admircr of Corot, was
captivated by Corots impressionistic dcvclopment ;
most of his landscapes date from 1870 to 1S72,
before pure colour swept all bcfore it. Gustave
Caillebotte, himself a painter, who had a villa at
Argenteuil where his fricnds gathered, had mainly
collected works of the Argentcuil period when Im-
pressionismcame into full blossom; Count Isaac de
Camondo, inclining more to the audacities of the
moderns, chose rather Ctzannc, Van Gogh, late
Renoirs and thc serial paintings of Claude Monet.
As for Antonin Personnaz, the latrst in datc of these
generous donors, he may be said to have made wise
use of his generosity by filling up thc gaps left by the
other three and contributing to the Louvre ad-
mirable works by Pissarro and Lautrec and a remark-
able selection of Guillaumins. Thc strict terms of
these bequests, instcad of proving a hindrance, added
on the contrary a substantial wealth of choice, suc-
cessfully checking the natural tendency of curators
towards systematization. Thus, the display of these
collections ratifies the taste of a few great French
connoisscurs. It may be added that the representatives
of the donors hclped us most accommodatingly in
our work by removing certain small difficulties in
strictly fulfilling the wishes of testators, who ob-
viously could not foresee the exceptional circum-
stances that now hold us in their stern grip.
The muscum, then, is arranged as follows: On
the ground floor are all the works or trends which
prcccde or accompany Impressionism in the strict
sense of thc term, that is to say, the aesthetic of pure
colour and the cxpression of direct sensation (the
pre-Impressionists, Manct, Degas, Bazillc, and the
works of landscape painters carlier than the Argen-
teuil period). Thc visitor, as he entcrs, is met by the
artists themselves and a few of their contemporary
critics, thanks to threelarge groups by Fantin-Latour,
which sum up the three phases in French painting
between 1860 and 1890, and thanks also to a few
portraits of Manet, Monct, Pissarro and Bazille. The
next room serves as a kind of introduction: early
works by Sisley, Monet and Pissarro are accompanied
by paintings by J ougkind, Boudin, Lepine, Corot,
Chintreuil and Daubigny, which show how pre-
upsssio&m passed almost imperceptibly into
J mpsssiodsm. I n RoomIII, the Moreau-Nlaton
Room, EIanets Picnic forms a curtain-raiser ; around
it arc exquisite works by Monet, Sisley, Pissarro
Berthe Morisot, which, chosen by a highly
sensitive art lover, express an intensified feeling for
fight, still rcndered, however, it1 accordance with thc
tia&tional scale of values. The big hall with the
in it lent itsclf admirably to the mural dis-
play of the two big conipositions by Toalousc-
Lautrec, painted for L a Goulues booth at the Fair.
Next coma the Manet Room, purposely given a
northexposure, the cold light from this cluarter being
better suited to that artists subdued toncs. This is
followed by thc Bazille Room, whcre this artists
work and Monets Womerr i n the Garden wcll
illustrate Impressionisms original preoccupation,
which was the representation of thc human figure
outdoors.
This same human figure expressed with all the
intensity of individual characterization, is the sub-
ject of the ncxt room, which is devoted to the early
work of Degas. After that are two rooms contain-
ing the Camondo collection, with Manct and Degas
predominating, where landscapes by Monet and
Sisley reflect with modulations that passion for
fight which we find carried to the pitch of intoxica-
tion upstairs. Mounting thc staircase gives the
visitor a short rcspitc, but, as he reaches thc top, he
is caught up, SO to speak, by the marvellous open-
air effect of five paintings by Monet and Sisley; the
removal of the framcs gives one the illusion of walk-
ing straight into the luminous spacc these works
depict. The left wing of thc stairs is given up to
Impressionismin its maturity, the right wing to its
declining phascs. At the far end, on the left, the
Caillebotte Room, where Monets Moulin de la
Gulette and Gare St-Lazare stand out, illustratcs
the conquest of light by colour, which characterizes
what is known as the Argentcuil period. One room
is given up entirelyrto Renoir; there we rcturn
to the landing, whcre two rooms, opening by two
big bays on the garden, and containing the Personnaz
collection, show how certain artists succeedcd in
reconciling the lyricismof colour with respect for
the landscapc tnotives. The last rooms show the
reaction in I 884 against the original spontaneous
movement of ten years earlier. The first is a
Czanne Room, forming a companion to the Renoir
Room. Thc Gauguin Room combines all the ele-
ments in the anti-Impressionist offensive : Czanne,
neo-Impressionism and Symbolism. Henri Rous-
seaus two great masterpicces: War and The Snake-
Charmer are here in the right surroundings, which
confirmwhat I have argued in my book on the Im-
pressionist period: the art of Rousseau, which is
wrongly classified twentieth century, is rcally a self-
taught form of Symbolismof which Gauguin repre-
sents the Impressionist aspect and Puvis de Chavan-
nes the academic onc (apicture by the latter in this
Same Room suggests these analogics). The last
room, part of the Camondo Bequest, comprises
Paintings belonging to Monets Nymphas, Vet bed
and Cathedrals scries; this is the finale of the sym-
phony in which Impressionism overflows in a lyrical
climax transcending thc limits of purely visual art.
This Rootn invitcs the visitar to go and scc the great
decorative examples of Monet - the NympbiaJ, dis-
Played closc by in the Mude de 1Oran.gerie.
A number of busts and figures by Rodin, Dalou
and Degas, not many enough to disturb the impres-
sion of unity, keep the pictures company and com-
plete the atmospherc. To facilitate the understanding
of this school by the general public, four big docu-
mentary panels give briefly thc geography, history
and technique of Impressionism, as well as a fcw
biographical dctails. These commentarics are placed
mhcr to one side in order not to interfere with
seeing thc paintings. All pictures needing the
oPcration have had a disfiguring coat of a ycllow

varnish removcd from them. As we know, in the
early days dealers fclt bound to tone down by a
coloured varnish the startling effect which these
paintings had upon buyers not accustomed to them.
One last problem, vcry difficult to solve, was the
question of frames. During the past ten ycars the
Louvrc has undertaken a general reframing of its
pictures. I n the case of old masters the principle is
simple, though difficult to carry out and vcry ex-
pensive: we try to give every picture an old frame of
its period. The Impressionist paintings in our col-
lections wcrc framed in the style of the pcriod, but
what a style it was1 Most of thcmwere burdened
with frightful frames of a pseudo-Louis XV style,
the chemical gold of which had turned to black,
encasing these creations of light in funeral trappings.
Here again the dealers had fclt called upon to supply
the picture with rich mountings in the fashion of
the day, lcst clients should be put off from buying.
We know from Seurat, Degas and Pissarro the sort
of frames they would have liked: simple borders of
white or in thc dominant colour of the picture. To
fulfil these intentions, we should havc had to carry
out long and costly experimcnts for which we had no
time. By scraping a few frames which had bccn
covered with real gold we managed to make them
passable, while the most offensivc wcre replaced by
very simple nondescript gilt edgings. Pictures by
Czanne and Kenoir, who had more respcct than
others for some of the traditional rules of composi-
tion, have been given old frames; the sobriety of the
Louis XII1 stylc is very well suited to Czannc, while
the opulence of the Louis XIV and Louis XV periods
shows off Renoirs art to good effect. As regards the
later works of Monet, most of which were vilcly
framcd, we felt that no kind of frame was suitable;
these works, conceived as fragments of space,
admit no limitations; even the thin edging with
which the Dutch Museums surround thcir Van
Goghs makes too sharp a border, as we found
by experiment; we contcnted ourselves with a thin
strip of white paper, which hides the nails of the
strctcher and effects an imperceptible transition be-
tween the painting and thc wall. The spectator has a
feeling of entering into the area of the picture and of
living in the open air which the painting conjures
before his eyes. A whole room of Monets has, by this
means, acquircd an enchantingly poetic atmospherc.
Mush DART MODERNE
Vitrine 1900. Objcts dart, bijoux et photographics
montrant des modes de lpoque.
1900 Show-case. Works of art, jcwcllcry and photo-
graphs showing fashions of the time.
The 292 pictures on view in the Impressionist
Museum thus attractcd more than half as many
people as thcLouvre(z34,ooo); but thc figuresarenot
rcally comparable, because the Jeu de Paume charges
admission on six days out of seven, compared with
theLouvresfive out ofseven.Moreovcr, atleast 6,000
pcople visit the Louvre every wcek free of charge.
103
The favourablc rcsponse by the French public to
the opening of this museum provcd how fully it
came up to their expectations. Between 16 May 1947,
the opening date, and 3 I May, I 5 y,ooo pcople paid
for admission1. A still surer proof of success is the
influence which this muscum has had on fashion.
To be sure, the rcturn to long skirts for winter
dresses gocs back to the beginning of 1947; but at
that time, dressmakers werc studying the fashions of
1900 to 1910; at the dress parades in thc winter of
1947 and still more at those in thc Spring of 1948,
J acques Fath, Maggy Rouff, Christian Dior and
Germaine Lecomte went much farther and reverted
to the figures and trimmings of 1880-1890. The
feminine public, which last year looked askance at
this departure, has welcomed with pleasure the still
boldcr novelties of 1948. We would hazard a wager
that the Impressionist Museumhas something to do
with this sartorial revolution.
L E MUSfi E D ART MODERNE
Suite de la page 49
dj insuffisant pour permettre douvrir des sections
dont IC besoin se fait sentir, telles quune section de
dessins et gravures, une plus importantc section dart
dcoratif, enfin une section dcs coles trangres.
Le Muse des Ecoles trangkres, qui occupait autre-
fois le J eu dc Paume, a t rattach A mon dparte-
ment et si jai pu prendre djb dans son fonds, pour
les exposer, certaines uvres dues des artistes de
1Ecole dc Paris, non naturalises franais, il nen
rcste pas moins encore dans ses rserves un nombre
important de peintres trangers ayant fait leur
carrikre dans leur pays mais nayant pas particip
lEcole de Paris, et quil sera ncessaire de montrer
prochainemcnt au public.
Telles sont les indications que jai plaisir confier
1 MUSEUM sur lanaissance dun jeune musk, les pro-
blkmes quc celle-ci a soulevCs et soulkve encore, les
rtflexions, les intentions, les essais, les dbats que
suscite un travail encore en cours ct dont la nature
mme du Muse exige quil continue detre perp-
tuellement en cours. Samission, en cffct, est rlCtre
limage de la vie, limage dun art que nous vou-
lons perptuellement vivant.
T HE MUJ BE D ART MO D E R N E
continued from page J I
it preserves was born. A remcnibrance, an allusion,
should be enough for the visitor to recall thc place-
whether it be the hill of Montmartre or the slopes
of Chatou-which gave it birth. I n the show-casc
devoted to Maurice Denis, photographed on his
death-bed clad as a Trinitarian, reminds us of the
religious faith by which his work and theories were
inspired. I n the Bonnard show-case, a few J apanese
popular prints, bought by the artist in his youth,
are moving reminders of what art at that time owed
to J apancsc influences. Copies of the Revue Blanche
and programmes from the Thitre de LOeuvre recall
the intellectual atmosphere in which Vuillard, Bon-
nard and Vallotton made thcir dbut. Elsewhere,
issues of the Ga7ette.r du Bon Ton, and Poiret fabrics,
evoke speriod of the RussianBallet. I n the Cubist
Gallery, a showing examples of Negro art seemed
absolutely necessary.
After the galleries devoted to Dunoyer de Segon-
zac and Charles Despiau-in short, to the reaction to
ik
Mush D ART \ roDmNL
SALLE IICASSO. Au ccntre, vitrinc documentirc
montrant de nombreux aspects dc lavie du peintre.
realism, the visitor goes up to the next floor and con-
tinues the history - I almost said the adventure - of
modcrn painting, with the Expressionists, La Patel-
litre, Gromaire, Chagall; the Paris School; Sur-
realism; the ncw Realist reaction exemplified by
Brianchon, Cavaillks, Oudot and Chapelain-Midy ;
the New Forces group - finally, the most recent
generations, all exhibited in a gallery in which Des-
noyer and Walch are the vcterans. At the end of this
serics there is a room devoted to the Resistance
Movcnient. The visitor then finds himself in a
great hall adjacent to the ccntral staircase. Hcre,
in a spacious setting, furniturc and decorative
objccts - especially a number of modern tapestries,
of which three masterpieces, by Marcel Gromairc,
J can Lurat and Marc Saint-Sans -arc prominently
exhibited.
Going down the stairs, thc visitor returns to the
Upper Ground Floor- the cross-roads at which he
arrived when he first entcred the Museum. He now
must go to the Lower Ground Floor where the
sculpture galleries arc situated. Here, too, a systcma-
tic classification has been attempted. Pompon and
Bourdelle arc followcd by sculptors of the classical
tradition such as Drivier, Gimand, J anc Poupelet,
Malfray and Wlrick; sculptors of the academic tra-
dition like Landowski, Leygue and Sicard; sculptors
allicd to the Cubist rcvolutions in painting, such as
Lipchitz, Laurens, Zadkine, Brancusi - and, finally,
the youngest sculptors, such as Yencesse, Auricostc
and Couturier. A happy architectural arrangement
has permitted a sort of well-lit recess to be devoted
to Despiau.
On the ground floor we find galleries of paintings
which complete the scheme followed on the other
two floors, exhibiting the rich profusion of out-
put to which the movcnients in modern Frcnch art
Snve rise. Thc grouping is hcre by Salons, and shows
how productive were thevarious schools which have
ebbcd and flowed,and how varied the form sinwhich
the talents of French painters havc found expression.
This productivity is encouraged and displayed by
thc Salons in the ycarly contests. The history of
the theorics and movemcnts, and of their outstanding
and most influential protagonists, would be incom-
plctc without a knowledge of the history of the Sa-
lons. Since its inception, to display a wealth of fruit-
ful forms, the Autumn Salon has never failed. We
I04
PIC ASS^ROOM. 111the centre, a docunicntary show-
case illustrating several aspects of the paintcrs lifc.
may mention in this connexion such painters as
Albert Andr, Ctria, Favory, Gerncz, Lotiron,
Cochet, Daragns, Odettc des Garets, Quelvie,
Savreux among many others. No lcss glorious is the
history of the Independcnts. The Salon de la Natio-
nale, too, at the time of its seccssion was an important
landmark in the history of French painting; in that
room a special place has been set aside for the in-
teresting Bunde Noire, that is, Charles Cottet, Dau-
chez and Lucien Simon. Finally, the Salon of French
Artists shows the extent of the front along which the
intellectual battles of the end of the nineteenth cen-
tury raged. One room, in the arrangement of which
sentiment and humorous affcction rather than irony
are evident, has been set aside for the 1900 period,
its furniture and fashions, which are not only remem-
bered but have their place in objective and scientific
history, and havc played a decisivc part in it. These
galleries, arranged by Salons, show also sculptures.
We havc, therefore, madc use of space, very diffi-
cult to arrange, and endeavoured to show efforts
toward classification and organized methods, to givc
an explanation of modern art, a demonstration of its
meaning, its dcvclopment, of thc stages it has passed
through, and, of its implications. But a museum of
Modern Art cannot be mcrely a museum, that is to
say a repository. It must also be a part of real lifc
and keep abreast of the times. For this reason we
have set apart one of our galleries for temporary
exhibitions. This gallery overlooks the Avenuc
du President Wilson, and the visitor rcaches it as
he enters the building. It can, however, casily
bc visited separately from all other parts of the
Museum. Our programme for the initial tcmporary
exhibitions includes the work of Chagall, Permckc,
Klcc, the Laethen-St-Martin School, Suzanne Vala-
don, Albert Marquet and Wotruba. This sufficiently
illustrates our object, which is to pay tribute to cer-
tain great artists no longer living, and also to
establish the work of some, both French and foreign,
who are still alive.
The entrance in the Rue de la hfanutention is
adjacent to the reserve storage and to store-rooms in
the basement. It has been so designed as to give
access to the largest lorries, which can drive easily
into thc building and unload their freight on plat-
forms. There is ample spacc for accommodating a
large amount of statuary, furniture, and cases. Can-
vases belonging to the Museum, but not cxhibited,
arc preserved in storage on mobile metal panels and,
thanks to themexhibitions can to a certain extent be
altcrcd and rearranged. Thcsc canvases in storagc
can also be used for travelling exhibitions in thc pro-
vinccs, lent for exhibitions abroad, or to provincial
museums, cnibassies, State or municipal buildings
and so forth. A Rfuseumof Modcrn Art is not a
rigid institution: it is a ccntre of activity.
The basements contain thc Museums entire hrat-
ing, air-conditioning and ventilating plant. Finally,
the Curators Offices, on the top floor, include a
library, where there are not only books, indcx-
registers, photographs, documents and so on, but
the Museums collcctions of drawings and engrav-
ings, arranged in portfolios. As at present organizcd,
the Muscumis not yet equippcd to open other scc-
tions for which a nccd is felt, such as a one for
drawings and engravings; a better scctioii for decor-
ative art, and anothcr for forcign schools. Thc
Museumfor Foreign Schools, which was formerly
acconimodated in the .Jefi de Paume, has now bcen
attached to my dcpartment, and while for exhibition
purpose I have taken from it, certain works by ar-
tists of thc Paris School who are not naturalizcd
Frenchmen, my rcserve stocks still include a consi-
dcrable number of works by foreign artists who
trained and have worked in their own country and
do not belong to the Paris School, and whose work
should shortly to bc shown to the public.
This is the information which I am glad to de-
scribe here about the birth of a young museum, the
problems it has raised and is still raising, and thc
various remarks, plans, aims, experiments and dis-
cussions involved in a projcct which is still being
worked on, and, from the very nature of the Mu-
seum, must ever continue to be workcd on. The
purpose of the Museum is to rcflect life and an art
which we desirc to keep perpetually alive.
MUSEOGRAPHY AT THE h f U S E B
G U I M E T
contintded from page 16
distorted and flattened for, they wcre designed to
be viewed from below. The slant at which they are
placed has been arranged so that they are displaycd
at eye-level, yct at the angle of vision which the
artist had in mind (scc page 32).
Showcases
A special type of case was prepared to thc speci-
fications of the hlusk Guimet, with the sliding
front of the case running on doublc rollers so that
it can be opened almost to full extent and so that
there is no metal division in the front ofthe case. The
background of the cases (made of jute or hemp) was
extremely carefully considered, and also the spacing
of thc shelves in order to obtain a harmonious dis-
Experiments have been made with two special 9s-
tetm oflightinx. One was suggested by J oseph Hackin
and is uscd in the Coral-Rimusat room, which is
devoted entirely to the Khmer art of Bayon and to
the mystical smile known as the Angkor smile.
The systemis to arrange the hcads in lines, with the
larger ones intcrspersed at intervals, and slightly
turned, so that the light from the windows strikes
them obliquely and brings out thcir expression.
The second experiment was the work of our ai-
chitect, M. Nicod, who had to roof-in an old garden
in the middle of the museum, thus forming a room
lighted from above (see page 52) . A systcmof glass
tiles was used, which gives reasonable protection
against hcat and cold, but lets in cnough light (from
which the ultra-violet rays are excludcd) for the
effect to vary with the timc of day, throwing slight
shadows and reproducing the type of light under
which architectural settings of this kind wcre ori-
ginally intended to be sccn, in the open air.
Various experiments in framirg should also be
mentioned.
play *
one method, invented by Mme Bolcttc Nathan-
eon, enables photographs to be displayed with a
bder oftransparent glass, like a passe-partout bind-
ing, The disadvantagc of this method of framing is
chat it is fragile, but it provides a sctting for the
photograph without detracting from its lightness
Another recent experiment in framing is designcd
for paintings of the fresco type. This consists of a
carefully Cutinvcrted beading, harmonizing with the
wall, SO that the exhibits are given a narrow defining
outfine, but still belong to the wall. The pllinting is
also sct slightly forward and is thus protccted from
damp. As a precaution, very thin cork flanges arc
inserted behind the most fragile exhibits to cnsure
ventilation. The wood used for these frames is na-
1 and vcry faintly tinted, like thc pedestals, to
tone with the walls. The large frames have been
painted exactly the same colour as the wall.
As regards labels, we have adoptcd for our prin-
cipalexhibits thc method used at the Louvre: manu-
script in dark colours, but not black, on transparent
material resembling frosted glass (I believe it is
rhodoid). Generally speaking, we have bccn im-
pressed by the advantage of dark colours over black;
they stand out well but harmonizc with the sur-
roundings. For cxample, when we tried labcls i n
black for green bronzes, thcy detractcd from the
effect of the whole, whcreas a vcry dark bottlc-
green, which would look black to the visitor, har-
monized with the bronzes.
Where labels are too numerous, or descriptions
too long, we have used typewritten characters on
paper, matching the walls or the lining of the cases
as well as possible, instcad of manuscript, which
would be difficult to read.
Other activities
its harmony with the Wall.
The Muse Cuitnet is not only a museum. It
has a remarkably useful library including more than
40,000 volumes, and photographic archives contain-
ing not only an almost complete collcction of ar-
chaeological photographs of Indo-China, but also
collections of many sclected archaeological photo-
graphs of India, J ava, China, J apan, etc. These pho-
tographic records constitute a collcction which we
believe is uncqualled. They make possiblc, fur ex-
ample, work such as that which we rccently under-
took for our course at the &col# du Louvre, i . e. a
comparative study of the motifs found in the earliest
period of Khmer art and thcir Indian prototypes. A
number of classified slidcs are available for lecturers.
The Mush Guimet also has a musical scction. I t
publishes various books (aseries of spccialist works,
monographs and artistic and archaeological docu-
ments, a serics of popular works, etc.), and makes
themknown by cxchangcs with foreign libraries.
Finally, the Muse Guht is thc headquarters of
the Association Jranfaise des Amis de lorient, which,
through its lending library, lectures, displays of
dances, performances of music, etc., provides a link
between the Museumand thc non-specialist public
anxious to know something of the civilbations of the
Far East. Lectures are also arranged by thc Mu&
Guimet itself, and on rare occasions, such as thc
Museums J ubilec, for example, demonstrations for
a wider public arc organized, including a number of
short hure-tours of the gallcries throughout the
day concurrctitly with a continuous show in the
lecture-hall (the zhowing of slides of some particular
monw-, music and dance rccitals).
ORGAN I SAT10 N GENGRAL E DES
MUSBES DE PROVI NCE
Suite de la page j 8
et Prparer laide de ces documents un programme
en, vue damliorer lorganisation gnirale. Elle dc-
hi t hbl i r en particulier un projet de classemcnt des
muses par catigories correspondant lcur impor-
tance. I1 ne semble pas que la commission, dont la
composition tait bonne, ct o lon ne sitonne pas
dc trouver le nom de Paul Vitry, ait jamais rempli le
programme assign. Le principe du classement dun
certain nombre de muses devait etre repris dans les
tcxtes J aujard.
Lordonnance 45-1546 du 13 juillet 1945, base
de la nouvelle organisation, considre (art. 2) comme
muse toute collection permanente et ouverte au
public dceuvres prsentant un intret artistique,
historique et archologique. Cette dfinition simple
ct pricise cxclut nettcment, dune part, les muscs
dhistoire naturellc, et, dautre part, les muses tech-
niques en dehors de leurs parties touchant lhstoire
des techniques elles-mmes. Elle tablit nettcment
par l mme les limites dautres serviccs, quune
absence prcise de textes avait jusque-l conduits
soccuper parfois dc ucollections permanentes ct
ouvertcs au publiclr.
Tous ces muses (titre II) sont divisfs en muses
classs et muses contrls, ne se diffrenciant au
fond quc sur un point: les conservateurs dcs pre-
miers et non pas ceux dcs seconds sont fonction-
naires dtat, mais les uns comme les autres ne
peuvent plus tre choisis par les municipalits que
sur des listes daptitude tablies par une commission
tenant compte des titrcs des candidats. Nous revien-
drons une autrefois sur ces conditions denomination,
et la rforme de 1Ecolc du Louvrc qui a suivi;
elles garantissent les qualits et la formation profes-
sionnelles des nouveaux conservateurs, gage nces-
sairc de la rnovation des muses et du maintien de
leur niveau. Des dispositions transitoires sont pr-
Le chapitre I V dtcrmine la composition et le
rlc de linspection des muses de province destinfe
assurer lapplication des dispositions de lordon-
nance, et gnralement de celle des lois, dcrets et
rhglemcnts ayant le m6me objct. Aux muscs de
IEtat, et lcur forte charpente administrative et
scientifique, sont donc officiellement runis tous les
autres muses. La jonction est pratiquement Ctablie
dts maintcnant avec plus du tiers dentrc eux pour
lftablissement des inventaires, la rccherche scicnti-
fique, la bonne prsentation idologique ou estht-
tique dcs fonds, Ientrctien des uvres, llimination
des indisirables sfdiments de mfdiocrits apports
par les aiinfes, les prcautions contre lincendie et
unc foule de questions accessoires qui ont fait trs
vite de linspcction des muscs de provincc un des
services les plus chargfs de besogne, mais aussi lun
des plus attachants de toute la Direction.
Nous dpasserions nos limites en cntrant au-
jourdhui dans le dtail du patient travail i longue
Cchiance entrepris par le nouvel organisme; nous
nous rservons den tudier un jour en dtail dans
ces pages les applications et le fonctionnement. Son
personnel est form dun inspccteurgnral et dc trois
inspecteurs principaux, dune secrtaire, de quatre
chargs de missions, dune bibliothcaire, de trois
dactylographes. Il serait tout fait insuffisant pour la
tche quil doit assumer, ct dont une norme corres-
pondance fait lasurcharge, silnepouvait pascompter
sur laide et lappui constant du corps dcs conserva-
teurs des muses nationaux qui, dans lensemble, ont
pris tout fait A cur le nouvel organisme. Un
Edouard Michel, un Pierrc Verlet, un Charbonneaux,
vues pour les anciens conservateurs en fonction la
paiution de lordonnancc. Louverture dun music,
un Devambez, un Charles Sterling se font les auxi-
liaires bnvoles de cette uvre immense de sauve-
ses rtglements, Iacccptation ou lacquisition dune
uvre dart doivent etre prfcds de lautorisation
ministrielle, aprts consultation du conseil de la
runion dcs muses nationaux.
1 On trouvera lessentiel des textes de lordon-
nance p. 148 seq dc IAnnuairr des Muses de France,
Paris, Muse du Louvre, 1946, et les textes complcts
au ]ournal OfJccbl des 14 juillet 1945 (p. 434214344)
et ZI octobre 1945 (p. 6758).
tage et de mise cn valeur des collections de laFrancc
entire, ct vont aidcr les conservateurs locaux tu-
dier, classer, prfsenter les siries mal ou peu tudies
de leurs muses. Certains conservatcurs de province,
un Hans Haug ou un Pierre Quarr, pour citer les
plus tminents et en mmc temps les plus actifs, sont
en outre de vrais inspecteurs rgionaux.
En mme temps quil avise tous les problmes
et toutes les difficults durgence signales directc-
ment ou indirectemcnt, lecorps sest attach i quatre
~
hfusdE GUI MET - Art cham.
DispoJttion des p i t h en triangles. Socles.
MU& GUIMET - Cham art.
Triangular arrangement of exbibits stands.
tPches principales1: a) la connaissance parles inspec-
tions, lcs qucstionnaircs, la documentation de tout
ordre, de ltat prcis de chaque muse, b) ltablisse-
nicnt dun plan musographique de laFrance en fonc-
tion des locaux, des collections ct dcs circonstances
existantes, c) laprparation, 1Ecole du Louvre prin-
cipalcniciit, dun corps de futurs conservateurs ca-
pables de travailler de faon qualifiCc A laralisation
des plans musographiques particuliers A chaque
musCe, d) la prbparation des lois, rbglements ct cir-
culaires destins pallier lcs dficiences actuelles.
ParalI&ment, lobtention des municipalits du ;es-
pect ct de lintrtt pour leurs muses: subventions,
visites, confdrenccs, dpts duvres, missions, con-
seils et aides de toutes sortcs, vient utilement
lappui de cette campagne.
Lobjectiffinal, laprotection des collections muni-
cipales et lebon rcnoni de laFrance en matire artis-
tique et touristique, est au prix dun redressement
amorcd dj dune manitre tout fait encouragcantc.
Depuis trois ans, plus de cinquante mustes partielle-
ment ou totalement ferms sc sont rouverts au
public; les dsastres de laguerre sont en voic dcffa-
cement complct dans plus de vingt autres; prts de
cent municipalits qui ne consacraicnt rien leur
muse ont tabli un budget parfois trks ginreux;
dimportantcs, voirc de magnifiques transformations
sont entreprises dans une trentaine de villes; cin-
quante conservateurs ont t nomms, parmi lcsquels
des doctcurs 6s-lcttrcs, des agrgs, des archivistes-
palographes, dont plus de lamoiti est forme dan-
ciens lbves de 1Ecole du Louvre. Il nest pour ainsi
dire pas dc cas oh ces nouveaux conservateurs naient
pu solidement entreprendre unc politique de com-
plbte rnovation, et quelques-uns dune faon trts
brillante. Un tr&s grand nombre dinventaires ct dc
dossiers sont entrepris ; plus dc ccnt cxpositions ont
t organises en collaboration avec les muses na-
tionaux; IC doublc de confrences a ti donnb; une
suite de cours il Dijon y cre comme une succursale
prparatoire de 1Ecole du Louvre. Tretitc-sept mis-
sions dc prospcction ethnographique, vingt-huit de
classement de tableaux ou dobjets, ont t excutes.
Quatre cent-dix peintures et cmvres diverscs ont t
restaurcs ou rbpardcs. Unc centaine dautres impor-
tantes ont t acquises sur le budget national pour
&re mises en dpht dans les muses de province o
elles complktent ICs sries, reoivent delles et
trouvent leur contact une signification particulitre.
Soixante-dix conservateurs, dont plusieurs volon-
taires Ctrangcrs, sont vcnus Paris pour des stages
dune dure de huit jours A deux mois, se perfection-
ner, sinitier et se parfaire dans lusage des tcchniques
musographiqucs modernes. Nous avons pu faire
crer ou amliorer vingt-huit traitcments munici-
paux. Sept socits dAmis des Muses ont t fon-
des, quatrc autrcs, cndormies, ont t ranimes.
Tous les numros du Bulletin des Must!esde France ont
donn un ou plusieurs articles dune haute tenue
scicntifique sur lcs collcctions ou les nouvelles acqui-
sitions des muses de province. Enfin, dans les con-
ditions conomiques mdiocres o nous vivons,
deux muscs nouveaux ont t crs de toutes pieces
et ouverts au public; quatre autres sont en prpara-
tion. On sent limportance de la tche et celle des
rsultats dautant plus remarquables que si linspec-
tion a fait un passage plus ou moins prolong dans
toutes les villes importantes, elle a pu seulement,
Ctant donnt ses moyens financiers, Ctudier le cas dun
La libration des locaux, utiliss souvent dunc
manibre abusive la suite des vCnemcnts de 1939/44,
par des services manquant de place, le contrdle des
collections abandonnics, la nomination de conser-
vateurs, les restaurations, 5 questions dincendie,
les prcautions contre le vol, les rtparations immo-
bilires, les achats et legs A autoriser, font le courant
de cette activit.
IO6
peu moins dc quatre cents musees sur les neuf cent
vingt-quatre figurant actuellement ses fichiers.
Lorganisme crt et dvelopp par les actuels direc-
teurs dcs Lcttres ct desArts,et desMuser deFrance,
sannonce commc une des ralisations musolo-
giqucs les plus importantes jamais entreprises. Mais
il est encore trw rtcent pour fairc lobjet dune tude
totalc. Larticle de laprsent revue sur une doctrine
de lameuhlcment dune ancienne demeure dc la
Couronne, et celui, quc nous nous proposons de
publier prochainement sur le plan gnraldes muses,
donncront unc idee plus prcise des mthodcs de
travail instaures A linspection gnrale. J e termi-
nerai par laliste du personnel scientifique du service:
MM. Duchartre, Gaudron, Marc Thibout, inspec-
teurs principaux: Mlle Barnaud, secrtaire gnrale,
Mmes et Mlles Lesage, Lvy-Dabrigeon, Provost,
Theveninde Stde, charges demission; MmeDuprat,
auxiliaire de la recherche scientifique, assiste parti-
culitrement M. G.-H. Rivibre, conscrvateur des
muscs nationaux ct professeur de musographir de
lEcole du Louvre, dans 1Ctablissement du plan
musographique gnral. J e tiens A les confondre
tous dans une mmc gratitude pour leur constant
et ingnieux dvouement.
GENERAL ORGANI ZATI ON OF T HE
PROVI NCI AL MUSEUMS
continired from page 60
museum was traditional so that it was still possible
to kccp it up. Disorder, negligence and sometimes
worse appeared almost everywhere with disturbing
rapidity in the course of a few ycars, especially when
thcrc was no curator, faithful to his duties and the
tradition of his officc, to oppose the removal of cx-
hibits to other buildings, and the invasion of the
muscum (which has since become so frcquent) by
various other dcpartnients. A museum which was
thoroughly well kept up and arranged was an ex-
ccption; just before the last war therc wcre very few
which werc comparable with the museums at Stras-
bourg or Avignon among thc large institutions or at
Chilon-sur-Sane, Hybres or Moulins among the les-
ser ones. The exccllent management of the museums
at Nice and Rouen, the brilliant methods of display
uscd at Albi, the reorganization of Dcauvais, Mont-
pellier and Lyons, (the last under the influence of
Focillon) and the varying efforts to give an ade-
quate place to modern painting madc at Agen, Bel-
fort, Grenoble, and Le Havre, provided almost
the only original or important exhibitions which
pcople interested could be recommended to visit.
The new curators at Dijon or the Mude Lorrain at
Nancy made little effort to reorganize their institu-
tions, which might be said to have been fairly well
maintained up to that time but were overcrowded
with mediocre and unsystematically arranged ex-
hibits; this was also true of thc museums at Amiens,
Lille and Bcsanon, and the Muse des Beaux Arts at
Nancy, where, howevcr, the premises had been vcry
carcfully restored. Without mcntioning names,
however, what can we say about some other great
towns in which the very dust prevented the visitor
from seeing amongst canvases of no value, that
a real masterpiecc was split, badly repaircd or
touched up with a sad lack of skill - only too fre-
quently by the curator himself1.
There wcrc scarely any catalogues and even
fewer inventories. Thc visitor could count himsclf
lucky if, after persistent search, he was able to
~~
1 I n 1912 Paul Vitry (see Mouseion 3rd year,
p. 287), a curator of sculptures at thc Louvre, who
was very intcrested in the problem of the provincial
collections, proposed that, in order to remedy the
bad state in which they wcrc too often kept, they
should be nationalized, on the ground that the
majority of their valuable exhibits were on loan
from thc State.
find, exiled to the public assistancc dcpartment
or flaunted in the reception room at the sub-Pre-
fccturc, the picture whose name had attractcd
his attention in a Guide bleu. One of the wcalth-
iest museums, not very far from Paris, which
had bccn organized and enriched with loving carc
by a curator from the Louvre - a member of the
Institute and an important writer on artistic sub-
jects - had its pictures re-hung after he had left
and grouped in the alphabetical order of the paint-
ers names.
The rare visits paid by the curatofs of the national
museums, acting as more or less voluntary inspec-
tors, resulted in some work bcing done. Small copies
were made of drawings which were fading in the
sun, advice was given about carrying out restorations
and mistakes or exaggcratcd statements on descrip-
tive labels were amended. Only fiftccn or twcnty
museums might rcceive a visit in a year, however,
and in any case the Inspectors had no real power
to act and could only use persuasion.
Finally, and most important, it is undeniable that
the level of competence among curators was be-
coming steadily lower. It would be interesting to
investigate the underlying causes of this decline,
which resulted in an obvious loss of interest on the
part of the public in such dull and uninformative
museums. There is no doubt about the reasons for
the decline in recruitment: first, the posts were
given by political or other patronage to provide a
small income, or as a mark of local distinction, but,
secondly, and chicfly, the fact that the pay was
generally so low, discouragcd talented young men
from taking up the career. Economic conditions after
1918 did away with the leisure time of cultured and
disinterested private collectors and, except in a few
towns where the traditional respect for the arts was
preserved, the curators salary was not large enough
to live on. The posts were gradually given to people
who, often from real interest but oftcn also from
vanity, werc plcascd to hold them, but whose know-
ledge of the history of art or of museography was
not adequate to enable them to carry out the duties
they had undcrtaken.
The variations in the origin of the collections and
the ownership of the museums complicate the pro-
blem. The majority of the museums belong to muni-
cipalities, some to Departments and others to various
organizations (learned societies, hospitals, universi-
ties, endowed institutions, etc.) ; some arc private or
semi-private; in somc instances it is very difficult
to fix the exact status, as thcy stand on the border-
line between public management and commercial
exhibition. Therc are no legal provisions enforcing
their maintenance or forbidding sales. The body of
regulations consists of judgments delivcred by the
Cour de Cawation (the Supreme Court of Appeal), all
too frequently ignored. On top of all this there came
the catastrophe of 1940, the destruction of buildings
and dispersal of many of the collections; all the
attendant misfortunes of war and the more or less
systematic occupation of premiscs whose normal
purposes were considered unessential or a luxury by
municipal departments and others, whose action
could not always be justified on grounds of neces-
sity. It is not too much to say that the Orders enacted
at the instigation of M. J acques J aujard were provi-
dential.
Admittedly thcse regulations must not be looked
upon as final, and therc is no doubt that it would be
advisable to make them more precise and to expand
them in more than one respect. There is indeed a
reference to fuller regulations to follow in the Argu-
ment introducing the Order of 13 J uly 1945. I n spitc
of certaindrawbacks which have appeared in practice,
It is well known that, with vcry few exceptions,
all the most important works of art wcrc savcd by
the elaborate measurcs takcn by the Museums Ad-
ministration as soon as hostilities broke out.
however, the Orders do provide a most valuable
instrument, the vcry existence of which is an im-
provement; they give ground for hope that the situ-
ation,often bad indeed,may becorrected, that thelack
ofco-ordinationwhich has hitherto existed may be re-
medied, and that the necessary improvements may
be
There were scarcely any modcls which could be
used in drafting the Orders. The only examples of
similar measures were ( I ) the administrative order
the preparation of muscum inventories
comp~~soryinI taly*, and ( 2) the principles on which
the Soviet museums were reorganized after their
nationalizations in which the terms of the procla-
mation and classification remain rather vague.
In France, the foundation of the association of
Curators of public collections in 1919 (by Messrs.
Guey, Roule, Veyssire and Vitry) brought to light
the great intcrest which was being taken in the
problemand at thc same time gave an opportunity
for many curators to show, although still with some
confusion, that they wantcd the position of their
institutions regularized. Their two exhibitions4 of
masterpieces from the provincial muscums made a
great impression. The Association des Aniis de5 Music5
ds Province undcr thc direction of M. A. S. Hcnraux,
has to its credit some limited but nitcresting work
of restoration.
The Journal Ojficiel of 14Deceniber 1932 reported
the setting up of a Commission for Departmental
and Municipal iMuseums within the Ministry of Fine
Arts. It was to carry out enquiries and surveys
regarding the position of such museums and, on
the basis of thc rcsults, to prepare a programme
for the improvement of their gcncral organization.
I n particular it was to prcpare a draft scheme of
classification of muscums in categories corrcsponding
to thcir importance. The Commission, which was
well constituted and, not surprisingly included Paul
Vitry, does not secmever to have carricd out the
programme assigned to it. The idca of the classific-
ation of a number of museums was received in the
J aujard proposals.
Order No. 45-1 546 dated 1 3 J uly 1945, which is
the foundation of the new organization, defines as
a museum(Article 2) any permanent collection of
works of artistic, historical or archaeological interest
which is open to the public. This simple and precise
definition clearly excludcs, on the one hand, natural
Estory museums and, on the other, tcchnical mu-
seums, cxcept for those sections of them which deal
with the history of techniques. It thereby clearly
establishes the boundary lines of the other depart-
ments which, in the absence of precise instructions
had hithcrto tended to deal at times with permanent
Collections open to thc public6.
All thesc museums are divided (Chapter II) into
classified museums and controlled museums, which
differ in reality in only one respect: the curators in
the former category are governmcnt officials and
in the latter are not; but both types arc to be
in future by town councils only from lists
Of qualified applicants drawn up by a Committee
after consideration of the qualifications of all candi-
dates- We shall rcturn latcr to thcse conditions of
and the reform thcrcby rendered
Ihre must have been a similar intention bc-
hind Englands action in creating its Arca Federa-
tions Of the British Association of Museums (see
Mameion, v. 1946).
See Pellati, in Mouseion, 1932.
SceAnonymous, in Mouseion, 1932, No. 19,
At the orangerie in 1931 and the Mwi e Car-
naOdet in 1933,
The essential points in the Order will bc found
On Pages 148 et scq. of the Annuaire de5 Mi u es de
(France> Paris, h h 8 du Louvre, 1946, and the com-
plete text in the journal Officier of 14 J uly 1945
(p*4342-4344) and 21 October 1945 (p. 6758).
in the professional training of curators.
2-
. . , . . . .
MUSB DII %TE.
En haut: Etat antirieur A larorganisation.
Above: Before its reorganization.
En bas: Aprs rinstallation.
Below: Aftcr rcorganization.
THE MUSEUM AT SLT~.
necessary in the &cole du Louvre; they ensure
that new curators will be properly qualified and
professionally trained, which is a necessary condition
for the restoration of the muscums and the main-
tenance of their standards. There are temporary pro-
visions dcaling with the position of old curators in
office at the time when thc Order was published.
hlinisterial approval must be obtained for the
opcning of a museum, for its regulations, and for the
acceptance or purchase of a work of art, after con-
sultation with thc Council of the Association of
National Museums.
Chapter I V lays down the composition and func-
tions of the Inspectorate of provincial museums,
which is designed to ensure that thc provisions of
the Order, and generally of other laws, decrees and
regulations with the same object, are carried out.
All other museums are therefore officially linked
with the national museums, with their strong ad-
ministrative and scicntific organization. Close con-
tact has already been established in practice with
more than a third of thcm, with a view to co-
operation in preparing inventories and in scientific
research, the logical and artistic display of exhibits,
thc preservation of works of art, the removal of thc
unwanted clutter of mediocre exhibits accumulated
over the years, fire precautions, and a mass of related
questions which have rapidly madc the Provincial
hfuseums Inspectoratc one of the busiest and most
interesting dcparttnents in thc Administration.
Wc should overstep thc boundaries of this
memorandum if we dcscribed here in dctail the
patient, long-tcrm work undertakcn by the new
organization; later on, we hope to give a detailed
account of its operation and application in these
pages. The staff consists of an Inspcctor-General
and thrcc Chief Inspectors, a Secretary, four
assistants, a Librarian and three typists. This staff
would be quite inadequate for the work before it,
which entails a great volume of correspondence, if
it wcrc not able to count on the assistance and
constant support of the body of curatnrs of the
national muscums who, generally speaking, have
whole-hcartedly welcomed thc new organization.
Pcople like Edouard Michel, Pierre Verlet, Char-
bonneaux, Devambez and Charles Sterling are acting
as voluntary assistants in this great task of salvaging
and worthily displaying collections throughout
France; they will also help the local curators to
study, classify and display material to which little
or no consideration has been given in their mu-
seums. Some provincial curators, such as Hans
Haug or Pierre Quarr - to mention the most out-
standing and energetic, - are also in fact acting as
regional inspectors.
csidcs considering all thc urgent problems and
difficulties brought to its notice directly or indirect-
lyl, the Inspectorate has concentrated on four main
tasks: (a) establishing the exact condition of every
museum by inspection, questionnaires and any
other source of information; (b) drawing up a
museographic plan for France, taking account of
existing premises, collections and circumstances ;
(c) training, chiefly at the Ecofe du Louvre, a
future staff of curators qualified to carry out the
individual museographic plan for each museum;
(d) preparing laws, regulations and circulars to help
to remedy existing deficiences. Concurrently, efforts
are being made to arouse in municipalities interest
and rcgard for their museums ; grants-in-aid, inspec-
tions, talks, gifts of material, missions, advice and
assistance of all sorts are proving most useful in this
campaign.
The ultimate object - the protection of the muni-
cipal collections, and Franccs rcpute from both the
artisticand the touristic standpoint - can be achieved
by a process of rehabilitation which has already
been begun in a most encouraging fashion. I n the
last three years more than fifty museums, which were
wholly or partially closed, have been reopened to
the public; thc damage caused by the War is being
completely repaired in more than twenty others;
nearly one hundred municipalitics which hitherto
allowcd no grant to their museum have now made
provision for assistance which is in some cases gene-
rous; large and indccd imprcssivc alterations havc
been undertaken in some thirty towns; fifty curators
have been appointed, including Doctors of Letters,
ap@ s and archivist-paleographers, more than half
of whom are former students of the ?cole du Louvre.
There are scarcely any instances in which these new
curators havc bcen unable to embark on a policy of
complete renovation; some have done so with
brilliance. The work of prcparing a large numbcr
of inventorics and records has been begun; more
than one hundred exhibitions have been organized
in co-operation with thc national museums; twice
that numbcr of lectures have been given; a series of
courses at Dijon is serving as a preparatory branch
for the &cole du Louvre; thirty-seven projects for
inspection of ethnographic collections and twenty-
eight for the classification of picturcs and other
objects have been undcrtaken; four hundred am1
ten paintings and other works of art have been
restored or repaired. About a hundrcd othcr im-
portant works have been purchased with Statc
funds to be loaned permanently to provincial mu-
seums, where they will cnmplcte sets and gain a
special significancc from their association with them.
Seventy curators, several of whom were foreign
volontrers, have come to Paris for periods varying
from a week to two months, to improve their quali-
fibations and to acquire or bring up to date an
acquaintance with modcrn museographical methods.
Thc normal work consists of sccuring the
evacuation of premises which, as a result of the events
of 1939-1943, wcre used - and frequently misused -
by various services requiring spacc; the supervision
of neglected collections; thc appointment of cura-
tors; work of rcstoration; precautions against firc
and theft; repairs to premises and the authorization
of purchases and the acccptance of legacies.
107
We have succeeded in having salaries paid or raised
i n twenty-cight niunicipalitics. Seven Societies of
f ,es amis des m u h have been founded and four
ochers which had lapscd havc bcen revived. All
issucs of thc Bulletin des Mudes de France have
contained one or more articles of scientific value
about the collections or ncw acquisitions of provin-
cial museums. Lastly, in spite of the unfavourable
cconomic conditions of life tD-day, two entirely new
museums havc been set up and opcncd to the public,
and preparations are being made for four others.
The importance of the task, and of the results so far
achieved, is obvious. The latter are particularly
striking hccause, although inspectors have paid
visits of varying length to all the important towns,
the Inspectorate, in view of its financisl mcans, has
only been able to consider the cases of rather less
than four hundred museums out of thc ninc hundred
2nd twenty-four which arc mentioned in its records.
This grganization, which has been created and
dcvclopcd by the present administrators of the
Department of Arts and Letters and that of thc
Museums of France, gives promise of being one of
the most important museological institutions cver
inaugurated. I t is, however, still too recent a creation
for a full study of it to bemadc. The article in this
volumc on thc principles of furnishing of a former
Royal residence and on a general plan for French
ethnographic museums, which we intend to pu-
blish shortlv, will give a more precise idea of
the methods of work adopted by the Inspectoratc.
I shall end by giving a list of the specialist staff
belonging to the Service: MM. Duchartrc, Gaudron,
Marc Thibout, Chief Inspectors; Mlle. Bamaud,
General Secretary; Mmes and Mlles Lesage, Lewy-
Dabrigcon, Pruvost, Thvenin de Sdc, Spccial As-
sistants ; Mme. Duprat, Scientific Research Assistant,
who, in particular, is hclping M. G.-14. Rivire, the
curator of the national museums and lecturcr in
museography at the &ole du Louvre, in drawing
up the general muscographic plan. I should like to
exprcss my gratitude to both of them for thcir
constant and able support.
CHTEAU DE COhl PI &GNE
Suite de la page 63
d) enfin limportance dun vnement historique
sattachant une salle une date prcise.
Les documents utiliss pour satisfaire ces prin-
cipes se trouvant la conservation, ou copits aux
archives nationales dactylographiqucmcnt ou au
moyen de microfilms sont:
I - lasrie des inventaires de 1751 1811;
2 - les fcuilles dcntrc et de sortie du garde-
meubles, le contrle du journal du garde-meublcs,
les registres dordre, la correspondance officielle, les
commandes et les pitccs comptablcs pcrmettant de
prciser les inventaires, ou de restituer un tat unc
date intermdiaire entre deux inventaires. Tous ces
documents ne doivcnt etre utiliss qucn fonction des
invcntaires eux-memes et jamais comme absolue
vrit en soi. Un renseignement sur un objet est
dangereux sil ncst pas datC; il na quunc valeur
dinformation quant aux modifications dun ensemble
en perptuel changement.
A partir dc ccs textes ont CtC Ctablis:
IO un fichier par catgorie de tous les objcts
existant au chteau jusquau moindre, chaque fiche
relevant toutcs lcs marques dinventairc, dbniste
ctc.. . . portes sur lobjet, avec en regard lindication
des emplacements occups par lui aux dates dinven-
taire corrcspondantes ;
zo un dossier pour chaque salle du chateau, avec
report chronologique de toutes les indications four-
nies par les sources consultes. Un tableau rcapitu-
latif, dont lingtnieuse disposition est due M. J ean
Leblanc, actuellcmcnt conservateur du muse ddjac-
108
cio, rsume dune manitre pratique chaque dossier
et permet davoir dun coup dil 1Ctat du mobdier
de lasalle toute une sCric de dates-types dtermines;
3O un fichier chronologique de lhistoire du
chtcau et des faits dont il fut, anne par annte, le
thtre, avec report sur chaque fichc dc toutes les
indications rclcvcs au millsime correspondant.
Toutes les sources manuscrites et publications
historiques qui ont pu tre consultdcs, les collections
destampcs, dessins et photographies publiqucs et
prives reprables ont CtC systmatiquement dpouil-
les. Mais, toujours, les indications fournics ont i t
contrlcs et leur prsence dans les fichiers est mar-
qye de manibre quunc discussion ultrieure soit
toujours possible.
Une masse dobjets exilts a ti rcconnuc de la
sorte; un grand nomhrcdcntreeuxsont dtjk rentrs
la suite de ngociations parfois dlicates avec les
muscs, lcs chateaux, les prifectures et les autrcs
administrations qui lcs dtcnaicnt, mais cest au
mobilier national que fut faite la rCcolte la plus
abondante.
Dans la pratique, les amnagements laide des
objets conservs ou retrouvs se heurtent plusieurs
difficults, prcsque toujours surmontables; la prin-
cipale nat des emplacements divers occups des
dates successives par un mme mcuble dont on peut
avoir besoin simultanment dans deux sallcs diff-
rentes. Le cas pourra sc prsenter un jour entre cha-
teaux divers si les principes dc Compitgne viennent
tre adopts ailleurs: telle console de Vcrsailles au
XVIIIe peut avoir t employe Fontaiiieblcau au
premier Empire. Nous estimons que si larestitution
savre impossible une poque nbcessitant la pr-
sence de lobjct dj utilis dans un autre ensemble,
ltat chronologiquement IC plus ancien doit jouir
dun droit de priorit, et ltat postricur demeurer
incomplet (ou rccevoir une copie) de lobjet simul-
tanment ncessaire, sauf sil y avait une clatante
disproportion dintrtt historique entre les deux
ensembles. Hcurcusement, Compitgne, la difficult
na port jusquici que sur des pices secondaires :
tabourets de pieds, vases dcoratifs ou pendules.
Les reproductions comparies jointes montrent
les rsultats de ce travail tout incomplet quil soit en-
core. Non seulement lavrit historique retrouve ses
droits, mais la simple vraisemblance ne reoit plus
doffenscs. Des austres recherches darchives sortent
une lgance et une harmonie tonnantes. Le rapport
des formes, des matires et des couleurs, dont la
recettc fut garde dans ses registres par IC rdacteur
des inventaires, savbrc une prcieuse leson sur IC
got des anciens. Les arrangements arbitraires dus
la scicnce ou la sensibilitt (de soigncuses photo-
graphies en gardcront le souvenir) ont pcinc,
ct, des mrites de pastichc. La raison commande
lobservation des principes que nous dfendons,
mais, nous cn sommes persuadts, la qualit presque
mouvante des rsultats obtenus emportera les hCsi-
tations et lbvera les obstacles lcs adopter ou les
appliquer entirement. Ces obstacles sont dabord le
regret des actuels dtentcurs livrer les meubles ou
lcs peintures, que lhabitudemaintient danslesmuses
ou les chtcaux pour lesquels ils ne furent pas conus
et oh ils ne furent pas employs.
Les mCthodcs dfinies devront, il va de soi, etrc
pratiques non seulement pour Ics salons dapparat,
cadrc des fastes de la monarchie, mais pour toutes
les pices, mtmc lcs plus modestes: lingeries et robc-
ries, couloirs, salles de bains, offices, cuisines, selle-
ries. A ce prix il sera posible dexpliqucr au public
les rouages du service dune cour importante, et la
rvlation sera dun profond intrt. Lorsque les
terrincs pt reprendront leur place au meme titre
que les tentures des Gobelins, la vie de la rsidencc
rcnaitra sous nos yeux avcc toute savrit, fertile en
leons et en plaisirs.
En mmc temps, des salles de synthkse historique
employant les cartes ct lcs documents les plus varis
devront cxpliquer au visiteur, en langage muso-
graphiquc, les raisons de ce quil voit, les tapes de la
constructiondu chAtcau cn fonction des circonstances
historiques et des variations du got, ses transfor-
mations au cours dcs sibclcs ( CompiZgne, les ori-
gines de la rtsidence se confondent avcc cellcs de la
monarchie), sa structure, le fonctionncmcnt de ses
scrviccs, lcs Cvncmcnts qui sy dCroultrent. Les
premires de ces salles seront ouvertes quand parat-
ront ces lignes; nous expliquerons une autrc fois les
principes suivis pour les raliser. Comme pour la
reconstitution des appartements, ils proctdent des
divers systmes employs ici ou l, les compltant
les uns par les autrcs, Ics codifiant, ct surtout lcs
tendant considrablcmcnt. Dans une priode oh
lcs moyens financiers font cruellement dfaut, il faut
prouvcr quc la riflcxion ct IC lahcur pcrmcttcnt de
faire avancer sans eux lasciencc mustugraphique.
CEITE.4 U DE CO Af PI &Gi VE
,,
continued from paRe 64
Fratice or the Institute of Decorativc Arts or
through Municipalities, seeming (with the excep-
tion of M. Magnin at Dijon) to distrust the Statc,
whose record admittedly was not good. Unfor-
tunatcly, these are, both large and small, typical col-
lectors houses, almost always out of the ordinary
and includirig only the best parts of the buildings,
scttings for the collections of which the donors were
so proud and which thcy wishcd to perpetuate. I I ow
glad we should be to have, as perfectly preserved as
the princely dwelling of Louis Philippes son (the
preservation of which is ncvcrtheless a rcmarkable
piece of good fortune from the museographic and
historical viewpoints), a middle-class flat of 1840,
with its kitchen, linen room and library, in the
quartier du Marais; or a La Roquette workmans
two rooms in 1871, a writers home in Montmartre
in 1901, or a rich industrialists housc in the Avenue
du Bois just before the 1914 war. Yet certain bc-
quests in Paris or the provinces give us a more
accurate idea of the taste of a particular class at a
given moment than it is possible to form of the
background of Court life still almost intact when
Napoleon III fell.
Are things different abroad? Without any prccise
guiding principles or express administrative provi-
sions, Switzerland takes great carc to kcep some of
its old houses as much as possible as they were.
Hauteville, for example, in Vaud (which is however
in private hands so that there is at prcscnt no guar-
antee for the future), and, above all, TFildq,< in
Aargau, which in 1912 was presented by Mllc
dEffinger to an institution which takes scrupulous
care to observe the testatrix instructions that noth-
ing is cver to be altered in the slightest degree.
The problem does not seemto have arisen in
England, and we havc no information about Spain.
Hitherto, Italy has proceeded much in the way that
we have. Except for the fact that at Str a few pieces
of furniture have been left in thc rooms in which
they were used by the famous people who oncc livcd
in the Villa, thcrc is every reason to regret the policy
followed in dealing with old rcsidcnccs. Many of
them have been emptied of their contents and given
over to various uscs: for example, Cruastalla has be-
come business premises ; Colorno, thcvcrsailles of the
Bourbons of Parma, has been converted into a lunatic
asylumand Modena is now a Military Academy.
There seems to have been a secrct policy to de-
base both the residences and the memory of the
Princes who ruled bcforc the Union of Italy. For-
tunate those palaces which, like thc Pitti at Florence,
had their dignity preserved, at least to some extent,
1 Weare not referring to collections such as the
A4ude Camondo in which the donor belicvcd he was
restoring an artistic dwelling of the eighteenth ccn-
tuy by grouping togcthcr masterpieces of the
period. (See Bulletin des Musdes de France, 1937).
anvmion into an art gallery, or like Mantua,
wscb, though disgracefully looted and misused in
in r g z ~ l with some care,
hough little knowledge.
soviet Russia has not refrained from reducing
adstic heritage by sales; but it has at the same
time q-ossilized the background of the Czars life
in very interesting fashion. At Tsarskoye Selo the
rooms from which the monarch departed on the eve
of his exile have been kept exactly as he left them.
N~~ a photograph or a single knick-knack has been
The Figaro which arrived the day before
his &parturc still lies in its wrapper on the imperial
desk. What a testimony for the futurc I In the dining
room, a table is kept laid. We have been unable to
the methods used in such restoration, but the
idea is exceuent.
Hitherto thc problem has reccived the most
systematic attention in Germany. Solutions have
been found which, although not always satisfactory,
arc clear proof of a desire to preserve the charactcr-
istics of the past and not to mislead the public about
the historical objects displayed for their interest or
instruction.
The furniture shown in the various Palaces at
Potsdamconsists almost entirely of historic pieces,
generally arrangcd in the rooms in which they were
Once used. Guides and catalogues arc careful to
mention any alterations which have been made.*
However, although the room in which Frcderick II
dicd was completcly redccoratedunder the First Gcr-
man Empire, the curators wcre anxious to recreate
the atmosphere proper to the memory of the great
King by placing in it a fcw pieces of furniture, in-
cluding the chair in which hc died. Preferablc to
such confusion is the interesting idca of rearranging
furniture bclonging to thc time of Frederick Wil-
liamIV, removed from certain other rooms in the
Palacc, in the wings which were built by that King
in 1842, forming a museum of later Rococo art, but
with no prctrntion to reproduce original groupings,
which could not be accurately copied. This is a very
good method if therc is no reason for leaving these
pieccs of furniturc for the sake of historical accu-
racy, in rooms of earlier date than at which they were
made. At Potsdam again, silk fabrics were ordercd
from Lyons to be woven to the original old designs.
It should he notcd that we have not yct come across
any case in which the official inventory has been uscd
as a mcans of checking. The first - and probably the
only - instance of such use (by Ilcinrich Kessel,
Chicf Curator of the Bavarian Castles) is mentioncd
in the 1934 cdition of thc official kwidcbook to the
Castle of Wurzburg in Havaria. There (on page 53)
weread that rooms 39-43 were rcarrangcd in 1932
in accordance with thc old inventories. Apart
from the oval drawing room, which contains little
but the portraits and paintings which formcrly
adorned it, the rooms concerned are small and unim-
Portant, and we are fairly sure that those responsible
for the work simply imitatcd that of Gaston Brire
after the visits paid to Vcrsailles by Dr. Ernest Gall,
the Supcrintendcnt of thc formcr Impcrial residences.
He had becn struck by the idea of restoring the de-
corative paintings to thcir original places and had
advocatctI it in Germany.
To sum up, none of the eflorts made in Europc
restore historic castles has ever dealt systematic-
*UY with the cjuestion of their furniturc. Only in a
exceptional cases have mutal decorations been
treated (at Prague, and Strasbourg in 1937), or old
Paintings been restored to their original places (at
Versailles and Wurzburg). That is thc only precedent
for the scientific work which we have now undcr-
taken at Compitgne. Our aimis to bc faithful to
ws
----__
SceAInwei of z, 1927, p. 205.
e. fi. Burgmayr. Potsdam, 1930 Unfortunately
the original arrangemcnt of the furniture has not
been prcscrved. The bed has bcen restored, etc.
histoiy in restoring the parts of the Castle which are
open to the public, and to develop a definite mu-
seogmphic theory for arranging a dwelling for dis-
play, taking account of the existing mural dccora-
tion, the historic events which took place there and
the available furniture. The curators of the chteau
consider such a systematic theory, which they are
beginning to establish, of the greatest importance.
They regard it as the possible starting-point for a
whole series of restoration work, not only in our
French Royal residences but in others in France and
abroad where, thanks to the existence of inventories
and specific documentaty information, it may be pos-
sible, by checking distinguishing marks on articles,
to undertake similar work1. I n the eighteenth
century, even private mansions and country houses
had detailed inventories, and corrcsponding stamps
or labels were affixed to the picces of furniture; it
would thus be possible one day to restore the HGtel
Lambcrt, for cxample, or - if only it had not unfor-
tunately been destroyed - M. de Bichameils sump-
tuous Nointel, exactly as they were in some particu-
lar year. The following are thc principles we have
adopteda :
I. In any particular room, to exhibit only thc
objects, pieces of furniture, hangings etc., which
appeared in that room at a given date and which can
be checked by detailed inventorics (supplementcd
or amended, if need be, when different dates are
given in two inventorics, by reliable evidencc, such
as certificatcs of delivery to, or dcspatch from, fur-
niture rcpositorics; tradesmens invoiccs; accounts;
if all else fails, an eye witncss account, provided
the source is trustworthy, engravings, and, after a
certain date in the ninetccnth century, photographs
bearing precise dates.) All othcr pieces, howevcr inter-
esting or beautiful they may be, and even if they wcrc
used in that room at another date, must be excludeda.
2. The datcs between which it is possible to
arrange a room exactly as it was, are governcd,
first, by the mural decoration of thc room, and,
secondly, by the date at which the building ceased
to bc used as a dwclling (at Compigne, the end of
the Second Empire).
I n other words, to give a specific example, even
if it were materially possible, there could be no
question of trying to furnish a room as it was in
Louis XVs time, if the size of it was altercd undcr
Napoleon I or if wooden panelling was replaced by
painted wainscotting under Napoleon III. On the
other hand, it is logical, if there is no Louis XVI
furniture available, to restore the actual arrangement
of furniture as it was in the time of Napoleon I or
Louis Philippc in thc drawing room sfill decoratcd
as it was under Louis XVI, because Napoleon I and
Louis Philippe both in fact lived, surrounded by
different furniture, in the surviving Louis XVI sct-
ting of the room. Historic truth is thus observcd.
3. If it is possible to restore any of sevcral dif-
ferent arrangements of furniturc belonging to
different pcriods and following one another in the
same room, that which is ncarest in time to the
It would be interesting to know what prin-
ciples will be followed in the United States in dealing
with Moret House or Hooper Parker House (see
Afauseion Supp. 106. 1946). We understand that Dom
Pedros Palace at Rio de J aneiro has become the
Gencral Post Office.
a The writer wishes to pay a special tributc here
to his colleague PierreVcrlet, whose work in preserv-
ing the Royal furniture and prefacc to thc Mobilier
Royal have been the determining factors, to say no
more, guiding us in discovering and perfccting the
principles described.
3 Arrangements are being made to display such
objects systematically in special show-rooms, It will
then bc possible for the public to see themin appro-
priatc artistic and historical surroundings, so that
thcir full significance is appreciated.
--
mural decoration should, in theory, be choscn for
the sake of preserving uniformity or similarity of
style. But if thcre are strong reasons for choosing
the arrangemcnt of furniture which was exactly con-
temporary with the mural decoration, because it is
the most accurate and most vivid from the intellect-
ual and aesthetic viewpoints (the successivc trans-
formations are of great interest, but they are never-
theless deformations of the original), there arc four
admissible factors in favour of restoring the furniturc
as it was at a latcr date:
(a) (the most frcquent case) the nced to use a
piece offurniture which scrved in two different rooms
at two dates in order to furnish a morc important
room ;
(b) the greater aesthetic value of a particular ar-
rangement and its greater importance in the history
of taste;
(c) thc need to avoid incongruity, by furnishing
the different rooms in a privatc apartment, or a
series of rooms opening out of one another, in thc
stylc of onc period;
(d) finally, the importance ofa particular historical
cvent connected with a room at a givcn datc.
The documents which we have used in carrying
out these principles, and which were cither in our
officcs or have been copied in typescript or by
microfilm from the Archives nntiottoler, are the fol-
lowing:
(I ) the set of inventories from 1751-1855;
( 2) certificates of delivery to, or despatch from,
furniture storage places, the respositorys day-book,
registers, official correspondence, orders and vouch-
ers, by which it is possible to chcck inventories or
to dctcrminc how a room was furnished at a date
intcrmediate between two inventories. All such docu-
ments must be used only to supplement the in-
ventories and nevcr as absolutc evidcnce. Undated
details about any piece of furniture must be trcated
with ciution; they arc only useful as indicatingalter-
ations in an arrangement continually changing.
On the basis of thcse documents we have pre-
pared :
(i) A classified card index of all the existing
picces at the chteau down to the lcast important;
each card givcs all the inventory or cabinet makers
marks etc. on the article and, a note opposite of the
situation it occupied at the datc of each inventory;
(ii) A file for each room in the chiteau, men-
tioning in chronological order all the information
gleaned from the sources consulted. An ingenious
summary table dcsigtied by M. J ean Leblanc, at
prcsent curator of the Ajaccio muscum, gives the
contents of each file in uscful form and makes it
possible to sec at a glance how the room was furn-
ished at any of a scries of specimen dates.
(iii) A chronological ilidex of the chAteaus his-
tory and of the events witnessed there year by year,
mcntioning on each indcx card references to evcry
scrap of information.
All the manuscript records and historical public-
ations it was possible to consult, public and private
collections of prints, drawings and photographs
which could be discovered, have been methodically
sifted for information. The dctails obtaincd have,
however, been checked in evcry case; their source is
recorded in the indcxes, SO that further discussion is
still possible.
A great number of peccs removed from the
chteau have thus bcen located; many of themhave
alrcady becii brought back as the result of negotia-
tions (sonietimcs delicate) with the museums, chl-
traux, prefectures and other official bodies holding
them; the largest numbcr howcvcr, was recovered
from the National Furniture Storage Houscs.
I n ptxrice, many difficulties which can almost
all bc overcome arc encouniercd in furnishing rooms
I09
with pieces that have been preserved or recovered;
the chief difficulty lies in thc fact that a particular
piece of furniture may be needed simultaneously in
two different rooms, in both of which it was used at
different dates in the past. This problem may one
day arise betwccn different chteaux, if the prin-
ciples we have followed at Compigne come to be
adopted elsewhere: a console whichwas at Versailles in
the eigtheenth century may have bccn used at Fontai-
nebleau under the First Empire. We hold that, if it
should prove impossible to restore a room as it was
at a given timc because, to do so, an object already
uscd in another sctting is necessary, the earlier date
should have priority and the room of the later period
should remain without (or be given a copy of) the
piece necessary to both, unless there is a striking
diffcrence in the historical interest of the two settings.
Fortunately, at Compigne, the difficulty has so far
only arisen in connexion with furniture acccssories :
footstools, vascs and clocks.
The attached pictures of inoms before and aftcr
oui work will show the results achicvcd, although
the work is far from complete. Historical accuracy
is nnce morc respected, and violence is no longer
donc to probability. A surprising harmony and
elegance have resulted from our strict research
among the archives. The combinations of shapes,
materials and colours, described in the inventory-
makers records, providc most valuable information
about the taste of our ancestors. Arbitrary composi-
tions resulting from learning or acsthetic taste (thc
memory of which will be carefully preserved in
photographs) have, by comparison, hardly thc merits
of pastiche. The principles we advocate are rational,
but wc are convinced that the effect we have achieved,
which might almost be described as moving, will
sweep away doubts and remove any objections to
their general adoption and application. The main
obstacle is the unwillingness of the present owners
to surrender furniture or paintings which,. from
custom, are kept in museums or castlcs for which
they werc not designed and in which thcy were
not used.
The methods we have describcd should, of
course, not be confined to the state apartmcnts, the
scenes of royal magnificence; they should be applied
to all rooms, however humble - linen-rooms, and
wardrobes, corridors, bathrooms, pantries, kitchens,
harness-rooms. The public will thus be able to see
how the domestic below-stairs machincry of a great
Court worked, and it will bc a most interesting rev-
elation. When pudding basins arc shown us by the
same right as Gobelin tapestries, the great mansion
will come to life before our eyes as it really was, a
rich source of knowledge and pleasure.
At the same time some rooms must be set asidc
to demonstrate the whole history of the place; in
these, maps and documents of all sorts, written in
museographic languagc must explain to the visitor
the rcasons for what he sees; the stages in the build-
ing of the chteau as affected by historical events and
changes in taste; the alterations made in it in thc
course of the centuries (at Compibgne the bcginning
of the residence goes back to thc beginning of the
monarchy); its structure, how it was run and the
events which occurred in it. Some rooms will already
be open when this article appears. We shall explain,
on another occasion, the principles we have followed
in arranging them. Like those observed in rcstoring
the state apartmcnts, these principles are based on
various systems in usc in different placcs; we have
supplcmcnted one with another, codified thcm and
considerably dcvcloped them. At a time when thcre
is such a terrible shortage of funds, we have to show
that with thought and hard work, it is possible, in
spite of that shortage, to advance the sdence of
museography .
I IO
L ES COL L ECTI ONS D HI STOI RE
NATUREL L E
Suite de la page 66
Le principe csscntiel qui doit guider lamustolo-
gie dcs Sciences de laNature, comme dailleurs celle
des Muscs dArt et des Muses techniques, est la
sparation des documents qui doivcnt ttre prsentts
au public, des sries de doubles ou de pibccs sans in-
tret spectaculaire. Celles-ci doivent etre places cn
rserve, en magasin. Nos salles dcxposition sont,
cn rtgle gnrale, surcharges de spcimens, et ceux
qui sont rellement intrcssants pour lexposition
publique ne sont pas mis en valeur.
Enfin, il est indispensable disoler, partout oh
elles se trouvent, les pibccs rares: les ntypesn et lcs
reprtsentants danimaux ou de vgtaux disparus
ou en voie de disparition.
On appelle type dun animal, dun vtgtal, ou
dun fossile, le prcmier document: pibcc naturalise,
pcau, crne, plante sdchc, animal ou vtgttal fossilis,
nomnik ct dcrit, parfois figur, par un naturaliste.
Ces pices, dont linventaire est en cours dans
nos grands mustes, sont trks nombreuses en France
et constituent une richesse historique ct scienti-
fique de premier ordre. Une des premires tAches
du Servicc de Musologie doit tre le reprage
de ces pikces et leur classement dans un fichier
qui sera la disposition de tous les naturalistcs
franais et trangers.
Quant au travail de prsentation publique et sco-
laire, qui ne peut &re rialis A lheure actuelle dans
des btiments modernes, il se poursuivra au fur et
mesure des possibilits financitres dont pourra bn-
ficier leService.
Pour linstant, ladirection artistique et technique
sest dorce, lan dernier ct cette annte, de raliser
des expositions temporaires dont le succs a t6
trs grand auprs du public.
Quelques Muses dHistoire naturelle de pro-
vince ont dj imit cet exemple; il faut cn particu-
lier signaler les trs louablcs efforts des muses dOr-
ltans et de Tours qui, avec des moycns limits, ont
cherch intresser le public et les coles par des
expositions temporaires intkrcssantes.
Ainsi, lhistoirc naturelle sort peu d peu dv do-
maine trop sptcialis o les naturalistes dautrefois
staient enfcrms. Au rBle puremcnt scientifique
doit sajouter un dort de dmonstration de vulga-
risation, public et scolaire. (Euvre sociale du plus
grand intrt A laquelle le Musumnational dHis-
toirc naturelle de Paris va dsormais consacrer une
partie de scs efforts.
FRENCH NATURAL HI STORY
COL L ECTI ONS
contnued from pige 67
This list would be incomplete if it did not include
the Oceanographical Institute of Monaco, a bcquest
from the Prince, consisting of a fine Oceanographi-
cal Museum and an Aquarium, housed in the same
building, which attract a very large number of visi-
tors evcry year.
Museum Collections
Although the above-mentioned institutions,
which are all very popular with the general public,
are important, they form only a small part of the
Natural History matcrial that France posscsses.
This vast amount of matcrial is of unique historic
and scientific value because ofthe carly date at which
rcsearch in Natural History began in Francc and
because of the collections brought back from their
travels by naturalists of the past.
The material is divided among more than 150
muscums, of which the most important is the Mu-
seum of Natural History. Undcr the recently esta-
blished National Museological Service, thc latter is
to bccome the administrative, technical and scientific
centre for all Natural History Museums in France.
The Museum, an institute of higher education
under the authority of the Ministry of National Edu-
cation, consists of ZI Chairs in charge of professors,
and 17 of thcse Chairs include collections: Colonial
Agriculture, Comparative Anatomy, Comparative
Anatomy of Living and Fossil Plants, Botany
(phanerogamic), Botany (cryptogamic), Cultivation,
Entomology, Hcrpetology, Colonial Agricultural
Entomology, Ethology of Wild Animals, Geology,
Malacology, Mineralogy, Mammalogy and Ornitho-
logy, Palcontology, Fisheries and Colonial Products
of Animal Origin, Worms and Crustacca.
We will not discuss here the Mude da lHomme
(Ethnology of Present Day Man and Human Fossils)
at the Palais de Chaillot, as it is to be the subject of
a special article in this review.
All the institutions mentioned above possess
study or rescarch collcctions and collections for ex-
hibition. The latter are distributed among four build-
ings in the Jardin I s Plantes. I n addition there is the
Mush du Duc dOrlians, which houses game collec-
tions and dioramas.
Among the remaining French Museums, a dis-
tinction must bc drawn between the specialized
Natural History Museums and the collections in-
cludcd in mixed museums (Natural History, Fine
Arts, Sciences), which are very numerous. The majo-
rity belongs to municipalities and, in some cases, to
departments; others are attached to University facul-
ties or to private Natural History Societies.
The chief specializcd museums are those at Lyons,
Marseilles, Toulouse, Bordcaux, Lille, Nantes, La
Rochelle, Rouen, Grenoble, Nlmes, Angers and
Bayonne.
If the other museums were to be mentioned, we
should have to give the names of almost all the
French towns which have collections. The impor-
tance of these collections, however, varies greatly.
The aims of the Museological Service, which has
bccn in operation since 1947, are of wide scope and
under present circumstances, can be achieved only
by degrees.
The first step will be the setting up of a ccntral
body to keep records and provide information about
all collections in French museums.
The chief provincial Natural History museums
and zoological and botanical institutions (numbcring
about ten) will serve as centres for public exhibitions
and for research in Natural History. Bach of them
will supcrvise less important institutions and collec-
tions in a specified geographical area.
I n this way, by co-operation between the Central
Scrvice in Paris and the piincipal local administra-
tive bodies, it will be possible to draw up a scientific
inventory of our collections and to plan a re-organi-
zation of them fur demonstration purposes.
I t must be admitted that our Natural History
muscums, rich though they are in incomparable ma-
terial as regards historical importance, quantity and
variety, have given very little thought, at least until
rcccntly, to the presentation of this material to the
public and studcnts. Only specialists or amateurs have
found material for their research or their pleasure in
these institutions; little has been done to attract the
general public and interest it in the collections. Be-
sides their scientific work (classification, identifica-
tion and study), Natural History museums will havc
to modernize the arrangement of the gallcrics of the
Paris Museum, and to give advice on muscum
operation to provincial institutions.
This is a particularly difficult task at a time when
material and financial conditions arc so unfavour-
able, As we have already said, the work will have to
proceed by stages. The first care must be to draw up
inventoricsand to preserve existingmaterial, and later
to choose curators capable of carrying out the third
stage of museological work - the re-organization of
Natural History establishment for both technique
development and display.
The fundamental principle on which the ar-
rangement of Natural Science Museums, like that of
art and science museums, should be bascd, is the
tion of material which is to be exhibited to
s u b l i c from scrics of duplicates and of items
aithout exhibition interest. The latter should be
kept in storage, in study collections. Our cxhibition
haus aie RS a rulc too crowded with specimens and
the interesting exhibits are not shown to ad-
vantage.
Finally, it is essential to isolate rare itcms, type
examplcs of animals or plants already
w e call type of an animal, plant or fossil the
first spccimen - a niountcd exhibit, skin, skull, dried
plant, fossilized animal or plant, identified, dcscribed,
and sometimes illustrated by a naturalist.
There arc a great number of such specimens in
or on the way to disappearance.
Fmncc, forming an important body of historic and
scientific wealth; an inventory of them is at present
being drawn up in our big museums. One of the
first tasks of thc Muscological Scrvice should be to
locate those specimens and make an indcx of them
for the use of all French and foreign naturalists.
The work of arranging exhibitions for the gen-
eral public and for students which cannot, at present,
be shown in modern buildings, will proceed gradu-
ally as the financial mcans of the Service permit.
Great cfforts were made last year, however, and
are being made at present by those rcsponsible for
the artistic and technical management of museums,
to arrange temporary exhibitions, which are proving
very popular with the public.
This example has already becn followed by a
few provincial Natural History museums. I n parti-
cular, the vcry laudable efforts of the museums at
Orleans and Tours should be mentioned; thcsc have
made an attempt, with limited means, to awaken the
interest of thc general public and the schools, by
very attractive temporary exhibitions.
Natural History is thus gradually emerging from
the over-specialized domain to which the earlier
naturalists confined themselves. Thc work of popu-
larization, by exhibition to thc general public and
to schools, should take its place beside purely sden-
tific activitics. This is a most important social task,
to which the National Museuni of Natural History
in Paris will henccforth devote a part of its attention.
ORGANI SATI ON D UN M U S ~E
D ETI I NOL OGI E
Suite L la page 69
Il est ncessaire de rvciller constamment lacurio-
sit du visiteur; un muse doit etre considr A ce
point de vue comme une maison commcrciale, qui
sans cesse fait appel sa clientle par une publicit
aussivivantc que possible. Le systme des expositions
temporaircs est un des meillcurs moyens utiliscr
pour atteindre ce but. Cest le coup de gong qui
appelle lattention priodiquement.
Contrairement ce que jcrivais plus haut sur les
inconvnients dun catalogue gnral, ces expositions
temporairescxigent un catalogue spcial, bienillustr6,
qui en perptue IC souvenir dans lesprit des visi-
teurs.
Mais il nc suffit pas dattirer IC public, il faut
essayer, unc fois sa curiosit vcille, de lui donner
les possibilits dapprofondir telle ou tclle question
qui aura plus spcialemcnt retenu son attention. A
cet effet, il est bon quil trouve dans chaquc salle unc
liste slectionnc d'ouvrages se rapportant aux
sciences, aux arts, dont il a pu contempler et com-
prendre les manifestations, et quil ait la possibilit
dachetcr immdiatement ces ouvrages. Une librairie,
installe dans IC muse meme, le lui permettra.
Tous ces efforts ont lavantage de fournir des res-
SowCesau muse, ressources qui saccroissent avec
l a vogue dont il jouit dans les classes populaires. Un
musk doit tcnilre dcvenir rentable. Un bon con-
servateur doit sefforcer de rduire au minimum la
ParticipatioIl de lEtat ou des collectivits localcs au
fonctionnement de ltablissement qui lui a t con-
fi, Droits dentre au muse et lasalle dc cinma
annexc, bnfices sur les affaircs de lalibrairie, sur la
vcnte des cartes postalcs, des photographies, des
reproductions, des disques musicaux, peuvent consti-
tuer un appoint important au budget dc ltablisse-
mcnt. Cet appoint doit rentrer automatiquement dans
la caisse du muse inthress, et non pas, comme cest
le cas, en Francc, pour les muses nationaux, dans
unc caisse commune, larpartition sc faisant ensuite
au prorata des besoins de chacun. Lejour o chaque
conservateur saura que largent quil a su faire rendre
son musc profite intgralement celui-ci, il sin-
gniera tout naturcllement cn augmenter lattrait
et lon nassistcra plus ce spectaclc attristant dc
muses importants qui, quatre ansaprks lalibration,
nont pas encore rouvert leurs portes ou nont fait
que lcs entrebaillcr.
Si important que soit le rOleducatif populaire
du musc, il a bien dautres fonctions remplir.
Chacun deux doit Ctreun centre non pas seulement
dinitiation populaire, mais de documentation scien-
tifique. Unc vaste bibliothque spcialise, gratuite,
accessible tous, confortable, ouverte aux heures de
rcpos ou de loisir, doit tre adjointe au muse. Elle
en est le complment indispensable. J e dis bien
ouvertc tous et non seulement aux rudits, aux
chercheurs.
Le catalogue est llment capital de la biblio-
thque. Il doit comporter de multiples entres qui
facilitent laccks de la source recherche par IC lec-
teur: fichcs par noms dauteurs, fiches par matires,
fichcs par rgions gographiques, etc.. . , Enfin et
surtout, il doit comprendre le dpouillement com-
plet des priodiques et des revues. Le bibliothcaire
doit jouer le memc rle dorientateur, dc guide, dc
conseiller, quc le conservateur lui-meme, Les deux
fonctions se compltcnt lune par lautre.
Une photothque doit doubler la bibliothque
et fonctionner dans les mmes conditions. Elle cst le
rpertoire indispensablc de tous lcs aspects, souvent
fugitifs, parfois disparus, de la nature, de la vie ou de
lart; elle peut etre elle aussi une source de profits
pour ltahlissement. J c mexcuse dintroduirc si sou-
vent des considrations dordre puremcnt pratique
cct expos, mais jecrois que tout sc lie et quc tout
concourt luvre densemble. Les diteurs, les
auteurs, les voyagcurs seront heureux dc trouver
leur disposition ces collections dimagcs vraies. Pour-
quoi ne paicraient-ils pas ces documents, aidant ainsi
au fonctionnement de ltablissement qui les a runis,
classs et protghs? Au Muse de lHomme, les dona-
teurs qui le dkirent pcuvent participer aux bnfices
de la vente des photographics quils ont cdes la
photothtque. J e nai pas limpression que la science
se diminuc cvmmcrcialiser quel@es-uncs de ses
richesscs et lexprience a prouv quc ce systme
provoquait des dons ou des dp8ts de clichs.
Un muse doit tre un centre de recherche. Jai
dit quc les collections offertcs au public doivent rc-
prsenter une slection, facilement renouvelable, des
objets les plus caractristiques ; ceci suppose lexis-
tence de vastes magasins de rserve, o les chcr-
chcurs peuvent tudier loisir lint,gralit dcs col-
lections. Ccs magasins doivent Etre classis avec la
mtme rigueur quc les sallcs publiqucs, considCrCs
non pas comme des dCpats o les objets sont en-
tasss, mais comme dcs laboratoires o lespcialiste
trouve toutes les facilits, tout lespacc ncessaircs
pour travailler laise. Ces magasins-laboratoires
doivent Ctrc aussi nombreux quc les salles dexposi-
tion publique et bien plus vastes, puisquils doivcnt
abritcr environ les neuf-dixikmes dcs collections, et
quentre eux et elles, il y a ladiffrence qui cxiste, en
librairic, entre un trait et un manuel. Malheureuse-
ment, dans presque tous les muses, cet organisme
est nglig ou insuffisant, rduit un capharnam
o les richesses scntassent ct sont pratiqucmcnt
inacccssibles. Or ces magasins-laboratoires doivcnt
trc le cerveau du musk
Un muse doit etre enfin un centre denseigne-
ment. Qui nc comprend que cest au contact des col-
lections que les jeunes doivcnt trouver les meilleures
conditions pour se prparcr une recherche fcondc 2
Depuis longtcmps, le Musee du Louvre sest adjoint
la remarquable Ecolc o se forment ICshistoriens de
lart et les archologues. Au MUSCC de lHomme,
fonctionne lInstitut dEthnologie de lUniversit de
Paris, fond en 1926, et do est sortie unc remar-
quable plade de prehistoriens, dethnographes, de
tcchnologucs, de sociologues, de linguistes. Pour
fairc progresser unc science, il faut lapprendre; pour
fairc de bonnes enqutes, il fiaut savoir ce que lon
cherche; et tout ceci ne peut sacqurir que par un
enseigncment ordonn, complet, en prsence meme
dcs collections qui sont lexpression des connais-
sances dj acquises et dont Ics vides ou lcs insuf-
fisanccs indiqucnt le travail qui rcste accomplir.
Trop longtcmps, lethnologie par exemple a t con-
sidre comme un champ dactivitk o quiconquc
pouvait pntrer par curiosit, par got de laventure
et du risque. Cet &at desprit na pas disparu. J our-
nellement, des jcuncs gens intelligcnts, courageux,
cherchcnt dans cc quon continue appeler lexplo-
ration, commc si ltpoque des Stanley ct des Crevaux
ntait pas rbvolue, un moyen de svader dc latristc
vie de civilis. I1 faut avoir le courage dc leur dire
quaucune recherche ne simprovise, que seul le tra-
vail en profondeur cst utile ct que la condition du
succs rside dans une solide prparation. Lama-
teurisme naplus sa place dans lascience actuclle.
J e ninsisterai pas sur les organismes secondaircs
dont doit tre dot un muse: scrvice dc rception
et dtiquetage sommaire, service de dsinfection,
service dc restauration, service photographique, ser-
vice dc dessin. Ce sont ldes organismes qui existent
peu pris partout parce quils ont t indispcnsables
ds que sc sont constitus lcs premiers ((cabinets de
curiositsv. Ils ont besoin dtre agrandis, rajeunis,
munis de tous les perfcctionncments des techniques
modernes, mais ce ne sont pas l des crations
nouvclles.
11me semble quil serait utile de lcur adjoindre
une petitc exposition permanente dc bearm faux. Dans
les collections publiques et surtout dans les collec-
tions privcs, il cxistc beaucoup dohiets qui, par la
perfcction de lcur facture, la comptence m2me des
artisans qui les ont fabriques, atit tromp lamateur,
voire le spcialiste. Cc serait rendrc servicc lun
comme lautre que de mcttre sous leurs yeux qucl-
qucs-unes de ccs imitations souvent rcmarquables,
pour leur viter des crreurs ct des dpenses inutiles.
Comme jeconsidre cct exposh commc une sorte
de tcstament scientifiquc, je dirai quelques mots de
dcux questions controverscs.
Lennemi des collections est la lumiere solaire.
J e pense que lcs muscs de lavenir seront des mu-
ses aveuglcs, sans fcnttres. Les progrth techniques
raliss sont tels quactucllement un objct ne perd
rien de sabeaut ou de scs teintcs par lclairagc arti-
ficiel. Des cssais concluants ont t faits pour les
muses dart. J c crois quc lexemple vaut la peine
detrc suivi et gnCralisC. La grande diflcult scra de
convaincre les architectes.
Un objet de collection doit &re mani le moins
possible. Toutc manipulation risque de IC dtkriorer.
Lc nettoyagc mh c cst une optration ncessaire mais
dangereuse. I1 faut donc la riduire au minimum.
Ltanchit dcs vitrincs pcrmct datteindre ce but,
mais, l encore, on se heurte trop souvent A des
questions budgtaires.
Tout diplaccmcnt dobjets dc collection est pril-
leux. Cest pourquoi jesuis absolumcnr opposb aux
prCts de muse musie. Echange de doubles, tant
quon voudra, le plus que lon pouri, mais 6vitons
dexposer dcs risqucs de dettrioration ou dc des-
truction tout ce qui est rarc, exceptionnel ou fragile.
Quel est lhomme qui napas frmi cn apprenant un
jour que le navire, qui rcmporuit vers IExtrCme-
III
Orient les magnifiques collections chinoises de lex-
position dc Londrcs de 1936, tait en difficults
graves du ct de Gibraltar? Qucl cst le conserva-
teur qui napas le souvcnir de dtriorations graves,
parfois irrparables, de piccs inestimables, au cours
dc transports mme siricusemciit surveills ? Lc
Gnic de la Guerre du Dahomey, magnifique spci-
men de lart noir, est rcvenu dune tourne aux
Etats-Unis priv tout jamais des deux armcs quil
portait. J e donne la reproduction de cette Dcuvre
avant et aprs lipreuve, et jelaisse I C lccteur en tircr
laconclusion.
Et cependant, il faut que le monde enticr parti-
cipe aux beauts ct aux richesses que certains peuples
dtiennent et nont pas le droit dc se rserver. La
solution est, mon avis, que chaque pays assure la
reproduction dcs trsors quil possde et mettc ces
reproductions largement, libralement, ladisposi-
tion de la collectivit humaine. La techniquc moderne
attciiit une telle perfection que ces rtpliqucs ont
presque la valeur des originaux.
Cette rccommandation, que jai eu le bonheur de
faire admettrc laConfrcncc gnrale de luncsco
Mexico, a le double avantage de favoriser la culture
universellc et la niisc en commun de tout ce que
lhomme n pu crier ou sauvegarder, et aussi de
prserver dune disparition compltte des trsors
chaque jour menacs dans notre monde mauvais.
J e termine par quelques rflexions spciales au
Riuse de lHomme. En crant ce titre, jai voulu in-
diquer que tout cc qui concernait lttre humain, sous
ses multiples aspects, devait et pouvait trouver place
dans lcs collcctions. En France et ailleurs, le compar-
timentage de lascience de lhommc, de lethnologic,
avait fait son temps et atteint son but. I1 fallait ras-
sembler en une vaste synthse tous les rsultats
acquis par les spcialistes, les obligcr ainsi confron-
ter leurs conclusions, les contrler et les pauler
lune par lautre. Lhumanit est un tout indivisible,
non seulement dans lespace, mais aussi dans IC
temps. Les divisions auxquelles Iimmcnsit de la
tiche a oblig les savants: anthropologie physique,
prhistoire, archologie, ethnographie, folklorc,
sociologic, linguistiquc sont aussi facticcs que le sont
ICS classifications bases sur lagographie politique
dont je parlais plus haut. I1 tait temps de les briser.
Cest cc que le Muse de lHomme a voulu rtali-
scr. Le succes quil a rencontr prts de tous les sp-
cialistes dmontrc que la conccption tait juste ct
vaut dttre imite.
Cet effort de groupement, suivant un plan den-
semble clairement tabli, se heurte des obstaclcs.
En effct, des donateurs mettent parfois comme con-
dition loffredes collections quils ont runies, que
ccs sries restent groupes et nc soient pas intgres
lacollection gtnralc. Si lon accdait A ce dsir, le
muse se trouverait bientt dissoci en une srie de
pctits compartiincnts qui, malgr lcur intret ou lcur
valeur, nuiraient lharmonie de lenscmble. I1 ap-
partient au conservateur de faire comprendre aux
mcnes linconvnient grave de leur exigence, ct,
sil ny parvient pas, de renoncer dcs legs qui
dtruiraient lunit de lccuvre ralise.
J aurais bien dautres observations prsenter.
Le sujct que jai abord est inpuisable ct comporte,
cbt de mes gnrales, une foule de remarques
qui, prises isolmcnt, peuvent paraitre dimportance
secondaire.
En ralit, dans un muse vivant, il ny a pas de
dtail qui nait sa valeur. La rectification dune fti-
quettc, lamise en valcur dun objet, le rcmaniement
dune vitrinc, la rvision dune notice muralc, sont
des tches quotidiennes indispensables. Le public
est scnsible 1 ces modifications constantcs. Le per-
sonnel sy intresse. Lmulation est pour chacun des
collaborateurs IC meilleur stimulant de son activit.
Cest de tous ces efforts vers le mieux quest faite la
vie collective du muse.
I I 2
THE ORGANI ZATI ON OF AN
ETHNOL OGI CAL iMUSEUhf
cotitnzad from puge 7 0
The behaviour of a siniplc workman or a child
in a museum is the most sensitive test of thc suc-
cess or failure of thc museums efforts.
Here I should like to quotc an instance ofremark-
able success. I refer to the Physical Anthropology
Room in the Mude delHonrtze. At first sight it would
appear impossible to take thc arid concepts on which
is based the classification of peoplcs, and to make
thcm comprehensiblc and attractive to everyone. But
the intelligence of my good colleagues, MM. Lester
and Champion, overcame the difficulty, and thcre is
no room i n the muscuni more visited, particularly on
Sundays. The public can sce and grasp the most
obstruse, thc most forbidding secrets of thc scicnce
of man. All of which shows that the publics intelli-
gence must never be undcr-cstimatcd.
Unhappily, all too few curators arepersuadcd that
thcir museums belong primarily to the public. The
Governmcnt itself sets the tonc by closing four
museums for many months to make the Palai1 de
Chaillot available for UNO.
The sole justification for the entrance fee payable
by visitors in many countries, is, indccd, the re-
cognition that a muscum is the inalicnable possession
of the pcople as a whole. Thc charge is both neces-
sary and permissible, in so far as it makcs the people
fccl that they are sharing in a task done for thcir
benefit, but, if this object is not attained, it has no
further justification.
Moreover, the cntrance fee should be reduccd, or
even rcmitted, in the casc of group visits, say by
cultural or trade associations, orby school-children.
Again, if such visits are to bear fruit, it is important
that they be properly conductcd: in all too many
museums, the guides are the attendants. Some of
thcm do it excellently, but many others are definitcly
not adcquate to the task. I t is far better, if only to
increase thc contacts between the man who knows
and the man who wants to learn, that experts act as
guides. I n thecaseofschool-children, where their own
teachers arc in charge, it is desirable for the latter to
have paid a preparatory visit to the collection. Noth-
ing could be easier than to arrange, under the guid-
ance of a specialist, for group visits by teachers,
who in their turn would pass on the knowledgc thus
gained with a better teaching tcchnique than is pos-
sessed by the museum expert.
Too many curators continue to think and act as
though only the chosen fcw or experts were capablc
of interest in their work. I say nothing of those who
behave as though the museumin their chargc existed
for their personal benefit.
The basic concept of public service set out above
governs, not only the way in which collcctions are
prcscnted, but times and conditions of entry.
The exhibits shown to visitors must be selected,
decanted, as it wcre. The cases cannot be filled
with all the treasures of the museum; there must
be a choicc of the most represcntative or most
instructive items. I t is also essentiol to makc the
exhibits live.
The curators most intricate and difficult task is
to impart life to dcad things, stripped of thc asso-
ciations given them by daily life, by the surroundings
and thc needs for which they were dcsigned. This
task is, also, the touchstone of his intelligence and
zeal. He can do it by clear, attractive descriptions
written in simple language, by a skilful choice
of photographs, by the use of stereoscopcs, by
dioramas - though this unhappily is costly - by
suitable musical programmes, and, finally, by films,
All museums ought to have an auditorium, where
moving pictures would supply a permanent coni-
mentary on the motionless cxhibits in the cases,
with special childrens performances showing docu-
mentaries and travel and cducational films,
Many curators try to solvc thc difficult problem
of educating the public by the use of catalogucs.
This method has the grcat disadvantage of telid-
ing to impose a corisidcrablc dcgrce of pcrnianence
on thc arrangement of the museum. A museul11
should be in a statc of constant change. At evcry
visit the public should find thcrc is somcthiiig new,
to excite its curiosity. This pre-supposes constant re-
arrangement of thc cases and exhibitions. Catalogues
establish a rigid frameworkandincvitably discourage
substantial changes in the initial layout. They pre-
vent any innovation involving a departure from
the original scheme.
This statement can be illustrated by an cxample.
For many ycars ethnological museums, in the pre-
sentation of their collections, adoptcd a classification
bascd on political geography. The Mude de IHomtre
itself once did so. rhus, there are special show-cases
for each country, as though to-days frontiers bore
any rclation to ethnical or cultural rcalitics. Such a
method was unavoidable in the early days, as it
provided a Gmple framework, within which our
ignorancc of human relationships could movc at ease.
The advance of knowlcdgc has allowed us JO replace
these artificial divisions by the concept of areas of
civilization, and these are the lines along which the
Mt de de lHomme sccks to direct its efforts. Had
there been a catalogue of thc original display, it
would be completely out of date. With the systemof
large wall charts, which describe the exhibits by
countries, and are, in fact, thc living catalogue of the
Alude delHonzmc, it will be enough to rcadapt them
in accordance with the work of reorganization, whilc
the public will beable to follow the course of that re-
organization stage by stage, and appreciatc its advan-
tages.
As museums are madc for the people they must
bc open at times when workers of all classcs are free,
i. e., during leisure time, Sundays and holidays,
and in the evening. This rcquircs considerable effort
and sacrifice on the part of the staff, but both will
be madc gladly, if the staff can be inspired with a
sense of their social responsibility, if the importance
of the task of education in which thcy share is made
clear to thcm and, above all, if all grades, from the
highest down fccl clcarly that they arc there to
scrvc the visitors. To give visitors thc feeling of
truly sharing in the life of the museum, it is a good
thing to give them thc chance to offer suggestions,
ask questions or even make criticisms to those in
charge. The provision of note-paper and envclopes
will enable them to make their comments.
The visitors interest must bc constantly re-
awakened. From this angla a museum should be
regarded in the samc light as a business house, which
continually seeks to reach its clicnts by the most ef-
fective publicity possible. To achieve this, onc of the
best means is thc systcmof temporary exhibitions.
I t is a gong which from time to timc calls for their
attention.
I n contradistinction to my earlier remarks about
the disadvantages of a general cataloguc, an essential
feature of such temporary exhibitions is a special
catalogue, well illustratcd, which will serve as a
permanent record for visitors.
But it is not enough to attract the public; their
interest aroused, they should be enabled to go more
dccply into any question which may have interested
them especially. To this end, there should bc in each
room a list of selected works covering the scicnces
or arts of which the visitor has secn and appreciated
examples, and hc should be able to purchase such
works. A bookstall insidc thc museumwill mect this
nccd.
All thcsc devices have the advantagc of sup-
plying the museum with funds, which grow pro-
portionately to the growth of its popularity among
the general public. Museums should aimat paying
their way, A good curator should seek to reduce to
thc minimum the contribution of thc State or local
in the running of the institution under
charge. Entrance fccs for the museum and its at-
tnched clnema, profits from bookstall sales and from
rhe sale of postcards, photographs, reproductions
records, can form an important supplement to
rhe museums budget. This increment should be
paid ,,tomatlcally into the account of the museum
and not, as happens in France with
National Museums, into a common fund distri-
buted according to the needs of each. Once the
curatot knows that any money his museum has
succeeded in earning will accrue to its profit, hc will
automatically take special pains to increasc its attrac-
tiveness, and we shall no longer suffer the melancholy
sight of great museums whose doors, four years after
Liberation, are still closed, or at best ajar.
Despite the importance of the muscums part in
popular education, it has many other functions,
Every museumshould be a centre not only of
popular instruction, but of scientific information.
There should beattached to each an ample special-
ized library, which should be free, open to all, com-
fortable and opcil during leisure hours. Such libraries
the essential complement of the museum, and I
mean that they should be open to all and not merely
to scholars and research workers.
The key to the library is its catalogue. This should
comprise cross references to assist the reader in find-
ing what he wants; thcrc should be card indexes of
authors, subjects, geographical areas, etc. Finally,
and most important, the catalogue should contain
full extracts from currcnt periodicals and reviews.
The librarian should serve as guide and adviser
just as does the curator himsclf. The two posts are
complementary.
The library should be supplemented by a photo-
graphic library organized in the same way, This last is
an cssential record of all the aspects, often ephemeral
and sometimes vanishcd, of nature, life or art; and
it, too, can be a source of profit for the museum. I
regret refcrring so frequently to purely practical
factors, but in my opinion all the factors are linked
and all play their part in the work. Publishcrs, writers
and travellcrs would be glad to have available such
collections of accurate reproductions. Why, then,
should they not pay for such documents and thus
assist the operation of thc institution which has col-
lected, classified and safeguardcd them? At the
Muse de lHomme, donors who so desire can share in
the profits from the sale of photographs they present
to the photograph library. It does not seemto me that
science is diminished in stature by comnicrcialidng
a part of its wealth, and cxperience has proved that
this systemencourages gifts or loans ofphotographs.
A museummust be a centre of research. I said
before that the exhibits prcsented to the publicshould
bea selection of the most typical specimens which
can beeasily changed; this prcsumes the cxistence of
huge storage facilities, where research workers can
study the entire collcctions at leisure. The contents
of these places for reserve collections should be as
carefully arranged as the public galleries, and the
storage rooms should be regarded not as mere
warehouses where items are crowded together, but
as laboratories where the specialist may find all the
convenience and all the space required for &rk in
comfort. These warehouse-laboratories should be as
numerous as the public rooms and far larger, as thcy
must house about nine-tenths of the collections, and
between themand the public rooms there is the same
difierence as exists, in a bookshop, between a treatise
and a manual. Unhappily, in almost all museums, this
feature is neglected or inadequate, and amounts to a
glory hole where treasures are heaped one on another
and arc well-nigh inaccessible. Yct, the warehouse-
laboratories should be the brain of the museum.
Finally, a museumshould be a centre of teaching.
It must beclcar to everyone that thc training best cal-
culated to fit the young for fruitful research i s con-
tact with actual specimens. For many ycars the Lou-
vre has had attached to it, its notable training school
for art historians and archaeologists. The MwO d8
lllomms gives a home to the Ethnological Institute
of the University of Paris, which was founded in
~ g z G and has sent forth a whole galaxy of prchist-
orians, ethnographcrs, technologists, sociologists and
philologists. He who seeks to advance a science must
first learn it; to do good research one must know
what one is looking for; and all this can only be
learnt through full and systematic teaching, with col-
lections at hand to illustrate thc knowledgc so far
won, and whose gaps or shortcomings point to
work stiU to be accomplished. To take this one er-
ample, cthnology has been regarded for too long as
a fit subject for anyone attracted to it by curiosity,
or by a taste for adventure and thc spice of danger.
That point of view is still evident. Daily, as though
the age of Stanley and Crevaux.had not passed away,
young men of intelligence and spirit seek, in
what is still miscalled exploration, a way of escape
from the monotonous life of civilized man. We must
have the moral courage to tell them plainly that no
useful research can be done haphazardly, that only
thorough work is of use, and that succcss depends
on proper training. There is no longcr room for the
amatcur in the sciencc of to-day.
I shall not enlarge upon the secondary de-
partments which should exist in a museum: the ar-
rangements for the rcception of specimens and their
immediate labelling, for disinfcction, for restoration,
and the sections of photography and drawing. Such
serviccs are in existence almost everywhere, because
they have proved essential since the first curiocollec-
tions werc formed. They must be extended, modem-
ited and furnished with all the improvements of
modern technique, but thcy are not new creations.
To my mind, it would be useful to augment
them by a small permanent exhibition ofgood fakes.
I n all collections, both public and morc particularly
private, there are many specimens where skilful
forging and the very craftsmanship of those who
made them, have deceived amateurs and even ex-
perts. It would be a useful service to both groups to
present for their inspection a fcw such fakes, often
remarkable in themselves, to help thcm avoid mis-
takes and useless expense.
As I regard this monograph as being in some sort
a scientific testament, I shall speak briefly on two
controversial questions.
One of a museums enemies is sunlight. I believe
that the museums of the future will be blank-walled
and windowless. Technical progress has been such
that to-day a specimen is robbed of none of its beauty
3nd true colour by artificial light. Conclusive experi-
ments have been made for art collections. I n my
judgement, this example deserves a wider following.
The principal difficulty will be to convince the
architects.
A museumspecimen should be handled as little
as possible. A11handling involves risk of damage.
Even cleaning, though necessary, is risky. It must
therefore be reduccd to the minimum. This can be
attained by dust-proof cascs, but here also, we en-
counter too often financial difficulties.
The moving of museum specimens is always
dangerous. Ilcnce I amabsolutely opposed to loans
by one museumto another. By all nieans let us have
exchanges of duplicates, and to the utmost possible
dcgree, but we must avoid risking the damage or de-
struction for anything rare, unique or fragile. Which
of us did not tremble on learning that the ship
bearing the glorious collection of Chinese Art shown
at the London Exhibition of 1936, was in difficultics
off Gibraltar? Every curator can recall instances of
serious, sometimcs irreparablc damage, to priceless
objects in thc course of transport, evcn where close
supervision was exerciscd. That magnificent example
of Negro Art, the God of War of Dahomey,
returned from a tour of the United States deprived
forever of the two wcapons it had borne. I attach
pictures of this work before and after thc damage
and I leave the reader to draw his conclusions.
Yet, the wholc world should share the bcauties
and treasures which are in the custody of certain
peoples, and which thc latter have not the right
to keep to themsclves. To my mind, the solution
is for each country to have copies made of its treas-
ures and to place such reproductions widely and
gcncrously at the disposal of mankind. Modern
technique has reached such perfection that these
replicas are almost as good as the originals.
This counsel, whose acceptance it was my good
fortune to secure at the General Conference of
Unesco in Mexico, has the advantages first of advanc-
ing universal culture and pooling all that man has
managed to create or prcserve and, second, of pre-
venting the total loss of treasures which stand in
daily peril in an evil world.
I shall end with a few thoughts having special
reference to the Mude de lHomme. Whcn I coined
that name, I mcant to convey that everything which
concerns the human being in all his manifold aspccts
could, and should, find its place in muscum collec-
tions. I n France and elsewhcre the division of ethno-
logy, the science of man, into watcr-tight compart-
ments had served its time and purpose. What was
needcd now was to assemble in a gencral synthesis
the results provided by specialists and to forcc them
thus to compare thcir conclusions, to check thcm
with one anothcrand securc for themmutualsupport.
Humanity isanindivisiblewhole, in spaceand in time.
The subdivision to which sciciitists werc driven by
thevastness of their task: physical anthropology, pre-
history, archaeology, cthnology, folk-lore, sociology
and philology are to-day as artificisl as thc classificat-
ion in terms of political geography of which I have
spoken. It was high time to break down the barriers.
And that is what the Mude deIHontnre has tried to
do. The praisc it has won from all the experts shows
that the idea was sound and worthy of imitation.
Such an attempt at regrouping, according to a
clcar over-all plan, sometimes meets with difficulties.
On occasion donors make it a condition of accep-
tance of their collections that they shall be kcpt
together and not absorbed unto the general series
of exhibits. I f their wish werc met, thc museum
would rapidly bccome split up into small compart-
ments which, despite their interest or value, would
spoil thc harmony of the wholc. It is for the curator
to make clear to prospective benefactors, the scrious
difficulties inherent in their demand and, if he fails,
he must decline gifts which would destroy the unity
of his work.
There is much else that I could say; the subject on
which I have touchcd is inexhaustible and compriscs,
besides general opinions,awhole list of points which,
taken alone, may seemof secondary impoitance.
I n point of fact, in a living museum there is
no unimportant detail. Correction of a labcl, the
proper showing of a specimen, the rearrangement
of a show-case, the revision of a wall label, are
esscntial daily tasks. The public notices thesc con-
stant changcs and the staff is intercsted in thcm. Fur
every member of the teamcmulation is the surcst
spur. And it is from the sum of all such efforts at im-
provement that the lifc and personality of a museum
derive.
TECHNI QUE DE PRnSENTATI ON DES
VI TRI NES AU MUSGE DE LHOMME
Si de de la page 73
I1 convenait donc de posseder un appareillage
mettant en volume du corps, sans tte et sans nwins,
les costumes fkminins ou masculins les plus varis dc
formcs et de taillcs. Des torscs de carton ayant lapos-
sibilit de slargir ladcrnande et possbdant dcs mm-
ches en toile de jutc garnies dc fibres, furcnt conus
par M. Richard en plusieurs types: ronde-bosse, Las-
113
MUS ~ E DE LHOMME. filment avcc chi-
rage intrieur; utilisation de tablettes individuelles.
Unit with built-in lighting; use of individual shelves.
relief, profil droit et gauche. Des trous dc fixation
prvus dans la carcasse de bois permettent de suspen-
dre ou daccrocher solidement les vetcments les plus
lourds (voir croquis p. 73). Labsence de mains et dc
tete ne doit pas faire oublier les proportions relles du
corps. Elles doivent etre rigoureusement conscrves
pour mettre A leur place les diffrents accessoires de
lhabillement. Une coiffure (laplupart du temps mise
en forme sur une calotte de carton) place trop bas,
en supprimant lemplaccmcnt du visage et du cou
donnerait une silhouette ridicule, voire cocasse, A
lensemble et dtruirait ce pouvoir de suggestion de
lhumain que doit donner un costume bien rempli et
bien drap. Le drap, toujours trs dlicat raliser,
doit sinspirer du oudes documents photographiques
accompagnant les pices. Il doit etre mis en place,
modcl, fix au buste de carton par des pingles dis-
simules sous les plis; cette technique, fort proche de
celle des couturiers, exige les plus grands soins et de
la patience.
Documentation accompagnant /es olyets :
- Pi/ofo~raj!&que: La photographie a pour but de
situer lobjet dans son milieu gographique, social,
humain; aussi son choix dcvra-t-il etre fait dans le
sens strict du documentaire. Parfois un document
plastiquement mdiocre a une grande valeur dmons-
trative. Si la photo est le commentaire imag de
lobjet, clle nc doit jamais empiter sur ce dernier ou
lclipser; elle sera traite comme un document, non
comme une czuvre dart. Ellesera tire en noir sur
papier mat (pour viter les reflets) en respcctant les
formats normaliss, cest-A-dire I 8/24, 24/30, 30/40,
pour les formats rectangulaires cn hauteur ou en lar-
geur, plus les formats carrs pour lutilisation dcs
clichs Rollciflcx 18/18, 24/24, 30/ 30, 40/40. Les
photographies au-dessus de 30/40 risquent de pren-
dre trop dimportance. Les preuves seront colles
sans encadrement sur du contrcplaqut avec une
marge blanche en bas de 3 4 cm. pour recevoir la
lgende typographie en caracteres gras (filiformes
pour lauteur du clich et larfrence). Considres
ainsi, les photos forment un rpertoire de surface qui
peut aider lacomposition dun ensemble. Mais cllcs
ne doivent jamais tre utilises decoupes ou enpho-
tomontage; ccs pratiqucs apportcraicnt dcs Clments
publicitaires dans lavitrine.
I31ment
MUS~E DE LHOMME.
avec lairage intrieur sous coffrage. Type (I trsori).
Unit with built-in concealedlighting.Treasurytype.
- Grphique: Chaque vitrine possde une petite
carte de signalisation pour situer rapidement dans
lesprit du public le lieu gographique o vit lapo-
pulation tudie. Ce lieu sera exprim par une tache
de couleur se dtachant sur le continent trait6 en noir
sur fond blanc. Le format de lacarte ne devra jamais
excder 18/24 cm. De prfrence, son emplaccmcnt
sera en haut, gauche.
Les dessins explicatifs, les schmas, les cartes etc.
devront &re clairs, nets. Aussi il conviendra de
soigner particulierement lpaisseur du trait, lacom-
position des graphiqucs, laqualit et lahitrarchic des
critures. Pour les cartes, des teintes pas trop brutales
mais bien tranches. La documentation graphique,
sous laction du soleil, se dtriore vitc. Elle doit etre
rCalisesur de lexcellent papier et avec de lencre de
Chine noire. Les encres de Chine de couleur, le lavis,
laquarelle seffaant trs rapidement, on utilisera
pour lcs couleurs uniquement de lagouache. De toute
manire, une documentation graphique, pour garder
sa fraicheur, devra tre renouvele tous les cinq ans.
- Typographique: Les textes de vitrines, jadis tapts
A la machine i gros caracteres, commencent A etre
typographis. Leur lecture sen trouve pour autant
augmente. Ils doivent &re brefs, donner un maxi-
mum de renseignements sur une surface horizontale
reduite (27 cm. sur 1 5 cm. environ). RCalisCs en
Europe gras, corps 14, ils reprisentent une moyenne
de 150 A zoo mots imprims sur papier blanc.
Les tiquettes, tapes la machine gros carac-
tbres, donnent la dsignation de lobjet ainsi que son
numro. Dans le cas dune srie, il ny a pas lieu de
rpter ladsignation, seuls les numros suffisent. En-
fin intcrvient ltiquette de lorigine des collections.
Observations: Si ce matriel et cctte tcchnique
donnent un grand nombre de possibilits, il ont aussi
quelques petits inconvnients qui se sont rvls
lusage. Lors dune dernihre exposition tcmporairc
ne groupant pratiquement que des chefs-duvre
archologiques, on saperut que les querres et
barres soutenant les tablettcs de verrc gtnaicnt con-
sidrablement, par leur aspect mtallique, lambiance
artistique de ces pieces. En outre, les tablettes pre-
nant toute la largeur dc llmcnt, provoquaient dcs
alignements regrettables. I l convenait donc de briser
cette monotonie horizontale. Des essais de niveaux
diffrents au moyen dc soclcs se soldrcnt par un
chec. Une nouvelle formule fut trouve, celle des
tablettes individuellcs ; cette formule, plus souple, a
IC grand avantage damencr ccs pieces artistiques
dans la zone de visibilit directe sans aucun parasite
pour lmil. Mais cllc nc peut sappliquer qu dcs
ohjcts ncxcdant pas denx kilos. Ltudcapprofondie
des chapes cramponnant les tablettes IIUUS permettra
sans doute d e pallier ccs inconvnients.
Lvolution de la technique dc lclairagc par la
lumibre froidc provoque, elle aussi, u11 bouleverse-
ment dans les disciplines de laprsentation. Elle pose
brutalcment le probltme de lclairagc intrieur de
lavitrine, ct prcsque, par voie de consquence, celui
du ((trsor )), coffrage spcialement conu pour bicn
mettre en valeur, dans chaque salle, Ics pieccs rares
ou prcieuscs quun excs de purisme avait meltes,
sans aucun profit pour IC grand public, aux objets
ordinaires et qui, de ce fait, passaicnt inapcrues.
Ainsi donc un progrs technique nous obligera sans
doute reviser une partic des conceptions pdago-
giqucs prsidant au plan idologique du muse.
Nous nous excusons de ces notes daspect trop
technique, mais nous serions heurcux si, en les fixant,
ellcs nous permettaient daller, ainsi que dautrcs
musologues, plus avant dans le sens de lefficacit
qui est un des buts de cet organisme sensible et
dlicat que reprsente un muse.
METHODS OF CASE DI SPL AY USED
A T T HE MU S E E DE L HOMME
Display continued from pale 71
The specialist rcsponsible for arranging the exhi-
bits works with the scientific specialist; hehas befoie
himspecimens and documents and the basic and
accessory equipment, and has to fill the spacc and
cover the sides of each section to the best advantage.
Without any preconceived notions of aesthetic pat-
tern, after many trials, thc installation should be and
will in fact be determined by the sizes, shapes and co-
lours ofthc objects. Two essentialrequirementsmust,
however, be kept in kind: first, the need to show
exhibits as far as possible in their natural working
position (aspade with the blade upside down would
look foolish); sccondly, the necd to place exhibits
in the normal field of vision, which, on an average,
extends bctween go cms. and I m. 90 from the
ground, or in thc narrower field lies between I in. 30
and I m. 80 (it is very important to keep thesc
heights in mind when placing printed material). So
long as he observes thcse two logical principles, the
specialist is free to arrange his material in any ordcrly
and harmonious manner.
Any arrangement of specimens hung on the walls
or from the top of the case may be used. Shclves
should bc employed only for the display of small
objects at eye-lcvcl. Only large exhibits or long ub-
jects shown in an upright position should bc placed
on the floor of the case. Machines should have all
their parts arranged in their working positions and
should be accompanied by discreet illustrations.
The great variety of ethnographical material,
which is oftcn not aesthetically pleasing in itself,
makes impossible any attempt at classic composition
in arrangement. As, from its very nature, rherc is
little duplication of matcrial, it is particularly diffi-
cult to lay down rules for displaying it, as on almost
cvery occasion new problems arise. On the other
hand, we very quickly discover what we must not
do. The arrangement of weapons in ornamental
groups must be left to the collectors of another cra.
Artistic, dramatic, advertising or concentrated dis-
plays belong to the commercial world and should
be avoided, as should those arranged in tiers, sym-
metrically (for example, two shelvcs at the same level
in two sections of the case), like mantelpicce orna-
ments, or - where written material is concerned - in
a check pattern or V or X shape. All such arrange-
ments have the serious drawback, from the point of
view of the extra-scientific purpose of the exhibition,
of doing violence to the work, of preventing it from
expressing itself and also of robbing thc visitors
of the impression that they are themselves discover-
ing the beauty or interest, and indeed the secret
significance, of an exhibit.
Thr hest uossible installation would thcrefore
A..- - I
seemto be one which, while fulfilling the two es-
sential requirerncnts, forms, as naturally as possible,
with
addition of suitable printed and photogra-
phic ,illustration, an harmonious asymmetric com-
position of which the general public will not be
consciously aware.
Costumes
A dummy, whether it is obviously artificial or has
claims to anthropological interest (as in the Musde
Grdvjn), is always an exhibit in itself and, as such
detracts considerably from the cffcct of the costume
bc displayed. Apart from the distracting effect
produced by its resemblance to a motionlcss human
being, it is seldomthe right size for the costume.
Some apparatus, therefore, was required of thc
appropriate size of a body without hcad or hands,
to fill out metis and womens costumes, of varying
shape and size. M. Richard had the idea of making
several different types of cardboard busts, expand-
able and with arms madc of jute material stuffed
with fibre; these figures were made in the round, in
bapre/$, facing right and facing kft. Holes made in
the wooden framework permit the heaviest types of
to be firmly hooked or draped on thc figurcs
(see sketch). I n spite of the abscnce of head and
hands, the true proportions of the body must be
kept in mind in placing the various accessory articles
ofclothing. If a head-dress, (which is generally sup-
ported on a cardboard crown) were placed too low,
without allowing space for the face and neck, the
outline of the figure would be ridiculous and indeed
comic, and would spoil the suggestion of a human
being, which a well-filled and well-draped costume
should give. The drapery, which is always very
difficult to arrange, should be modeled on that
shown in the photograph or photographs displayed
with the exhibits. Thc cloth has to be arranged,
draped and fixed to the cardboard figure by pins
hidden under the folds; this work is very like dress-
making, and requircs much care and patience.
Illustrative and explanatory material shown with exhibits
Photographs. The purpose of photographs is to
show the specimcn in its natural geographic, social
or human sctting and thcy should therefore be
chosen solely on their documentary merit. I t may
happen that a photograph which is artistically
mediocre has great value for demonstration. As a
photograph is a pictorial commentary on thc ex-
hibit, it should never interfere with the effect of the
lattcr or cclipse it; it should be used as a document
and not a work of art. Photographs should be
printed in black on paper with a dull surface (so
that they do not shine) in the standard sizes, i . e.
I*x 24, 24X 30, 30x 40 for rectangular photographs
taken vertically or horizontally, and 18x 18, 24x 24,
3OX 30 and 40x 40 when Rolleifleix negativcs are
used- Photographs largcr than 3 0 ~ 40 are likely to
be to0 Prominent. Prints should be stuck on ply-
wood without any border, but with a white strip 3
O* 4 cms. wide at the bottom to contain the dc-
scription in bold face type and thc name of the photo-
grapher and refcrencc in light face type. I n this form,
photographs provide material for filling in blank
waU+Paces and may be uscd as an integral part of a
display. Thcy should never bc used cut
put Or mounted, however, as that would give an
lmPr.ession of advertising.
DiaSrammatic material. Thcre is in every show
a small explanatory map, which shows at a
glance the geographic area in which the peoplc de-
picted live. That area is indicated by a patch ofcolour
On the black silhouette of the continent against a
white background. The map should never be more
than 18X z4 ems. in size and should preferably be
placed in the top left-hand corner,
Explanatory drawings, diagrams, maps etc.
should be clear and distinct. Special attention should
thercforc bc paid to the thickncss of the lines, the
composition of diagrams and the different types and
sizes of lettering. The colours used for maps should
not bc too bright but should be distinctive. Diagrams
soon fade in the sunlight. They should bemade on
very good papcr with black Indian ink. As coloured
inks, wash-tints and water-colours very quickly fade,
only gouache should bc used for colourcd surfaces.
I n any evcnt, if diagrams are to bc kept looking clean
and bright, they must be redone every five years.
Printed maferia/. The texts to bc placed in the
cases, which used to be typcd on a large-type ma-
chine, are now beginning to be printed, and thcy arc
therefore morc casily read. They should be brief
and should provide as much information as possible
in a small space (about 27 cms.x 1 5 cms.). They are
printed on white paper in Europe bold face, 14 point,
and thcir average length is I yo-zoo words.
The labels, which are typed on a large-type ma-
chine, give the description of the cxhibit and its
number in the catalogue. When the exhibits form a
series, the description is not repeated and only thc
numbers are given. Finally there is the card showing
thc origin of the collections.
O bs ervations
Although the above-mentioned method and
equipment are rich in possibilities, a few slight dis-
advantages have been discovered in practice. On the
occasion of a recent temporary exhibition of archaeo-
logical masterpicces, we found that the mctallic ap-
pearance of the brackets and rods on which the glass
shelves were supportcd detracted considerably from
the artistic atmosphere. Furthermore, the shelves
running right across each scction produced an un-
fortunate effect of straight lines. We therefore had to
find a means of breaking this horizontal monotony.
Attempts to arrange diffcrent levels for exhibits
by means of stands proved unsuccessful, but we
evolvcd a new method of using individual shelves,
which allows more flcxibility and has the great
advantage of bringing such artistic specimcns into
thc dircct line of vision, without anything to distract
the eye. This systemcan, however, only be used for
objects weighing not more than 2 kgm. Further study
of thc type of clamps in which the shelves are held
will no doubt help us to solve these difficulties.
The devclopment of the method of neon-lighting
is also causing a radical change in methods of dis-
play. I t raises in an acute form the question of light-
ing cascs from within and, consequently, the pro-
blemof the masterpiecc - a special presentation
designed to give due prominence to the rarc or
valuablc items in each room, which were previously,
from an exaggeratcd scientific austerity, and without
any advantagc for the general public, intermingled
with ordinaryexhibitsand thercforepassed unnoticed.
Thus technical devclopments will probably compel
us to revisc some of the educational principles on
which the organization of the museum is based.
I n apologizing for the extremely tcchnical
charactcr of thesenotes, weventurc to hopc that they
may beof some assistance both to ourselves and to
other museumorganizers in our efforts to attain thc
maximumeffectiveness, which is one of the aims
of that sensitive and delicate instrument, a museum.
LE PALAI S DE LA DBCOUVERTE
Suite de la page 79
Une ambiance toute spciale rtgne au Palais de la
Dcouverte et un milieu favorable a t ainsi cr.
Tous les enfants ne sont pas gaux au berceau; les
lois de la gntique nous le prouvent. Mais il est
certain qu charge hrditaire gale, linflucncc du
milieu a une importance considrable pour le dve-
loppement des individus. Aussi, cette prsence des
multiples aspccts des diverses disciplines scicnti-
fiques est-elle de nature dvclopper les dispositions
naturelles. I1 est vident que si Faraday, ouvrier
relicur, ntait pas entr au service de Davy jamais
il ne ft devenu lun des plus grands physiciens du
monde. Mais on pcut croire galement, que si un
Palais dc la Dcouverte avait cxist au temps de sa
jeunesse, il aurait probablement gagn des annees
pour lclosion de son gnie.
Lc Palais de la Dcouverte, ct tous les Palais de la
Dcouverte qui scront crs dans lavenir, doivent
etre en quelque sorte les lieux ghomdtriques de la
science du pass et de lavcnir, et des bweaux de
recrutement de la recherche nientayque.
Le Palais de la Dtcouverte a lhonncur detre un
tablissement de luniversit de Paris, dont IC
recteur prside le Conseil dAdministration. Des
grands savants franais composent son Comit de
Direction scientifique. Des professeurs et des assis-
tants effectuent chaque anne dc nouveaux mon-
tages. Une salle de lecture et une librairie sont la
disposition du public. Chaque semaine, de novcmbre
juillct, des confrences sont donnes par les plus
grands matres de la science.
Le Palais de la Dcouverte reoit en grand
nombre chaque anne des visites en groupes, grou-
pes scolaires sous la conduite de leurs matres,
groupes culturels divers, et les rsultats cn sont
particulirement heureux.
Depuis 1938, le Palais de la Dcouverte, sur
5.5oo.000 visiteurs, a reu prs de 3.500 groupes
scolaires, reprsentant I jo.000 ltves, et 600 groupes
culturels, reprsentant z5.000 membres.
I1 faut rendre hommage en particulier des
matres de Ienseigncment primaire suprieur qui
se sont dpenss sans compter, conduisant 10 et
mtme I 5 fois leurs lves au Palais de la Dcouverte,
pendant lannc scolaire, proposant des devoirs
qui nous ont t montrs. Les levcs sc sont enthou-
siasmspourcette formc denseignement et ils ont ap-
port un soin tout particulier lardaction et lillus-
tration de leurs copies, faites individuellement ou par
quipes. I1 semble bicn que, par ces mthodes, les en-
fants rctiennent davantage et comprennent mieux.
Si le cht profondmcnt humain de cette uvre,
o lepeuple tout entier est convi communier avec
les plus grands esprits dans une hautc passion spiri-
tuelle, marque le Palais dc la Dcouverte, un autre
caractre lennoblit galement : ceuvre de conception,
dinitiative et de ralisation franaisc, le Palais de la
Dcouverte est orient vers un internationalisme, un
universalismc qui est bien dans latradition humaniste
dcla France. Par lil apparat que ladcouverte scien-
tifiqueest souvent unc longue chane, dont les mail-
lons portent les couleurs des nations les plus diverses.
Pour les confrenccs, il est galement fait appel
des savants trangers; toutes ces confrenccs sont
dites ct mises en vente.
Au grand Congrs international du Palais de la
Dcouverte, en octobre 1937, les reprsentants dc 65
Univcrsits trangres, plus de mille mathmaticiens,
physiciens, chimistcs, biologistes, dont I I Prix Nobel,
ont t unanimcs danslexpression de leur admira rion.
Des relations troites stablirent de pays pays.
LInstitut Carnegic, de Washington, par linterm-
diaire du New York Nu~uscuni of Science and Itidwtry,
cnvoya au Palais de la Dcouverte, en novembre
1938, une exposition portant sur les rsultats des
dernires rccherches en biologic ct cn astronomie.
Lc Palais de la Dcouvcrte devait, en contre-partie,
envoyer aux Etats-Unis, lanne suivante, quclqucs-
uns de scs plus rcents montagcs. Les tvnements
sopposrent la ralisation de ce projet: mais les
bases de grands changes scientifiques internationaux
taient poses, montrant IC rle qutait appel6
rcmplir dans lavcnir le Palais de la Dcouverte.
Cest au Palais de la Dcouverte quc sc tint, en
novembrc 1958, le grand congrks international
commmorant la ddcouverte des ondes hertziennes
et du radium.
En 1939, la France ayant t invite organiser
une section scicntifiquc lExposition internationalc
dc New York, le Palais de laDcouverte fut charg
dc cette ralisation, sous la direction dune com-
rilission pisidk par M. F. J oliot.
En mars 1940, une ((exposition mtdicale fran-
aiseir destine h Tokyo, fut prpare au Palais de la
Dcouvcrtc. Elle eut pour consquence la crtation
dun laboratoirc de recherches biologiques franais
au J apon.
J usquh ladclaration dc laguerre,une correspon-
dance trs active a et changte avec la plupart des
pays du monde enticr. Des plus tloigns parvinrent
des demandcs de documentation; des commissions
dtudes furent envoyes en 1939 par les gouverne-
ments de lItalie, de la Pologne, de la Rtpublique
Argentinc, de la Norvge, dsireux ddifier h lcur
tour des tablissements semblables.
Aprs les rsultats obtenus, il a t reconnu utile
de donner au Palais de laDcouverte un difice digne
de lui, rbpondant h tous les besoins actuels, tout en
rservant la place aux dveloppements imprvisibles,
ce que J ean Perrin appelait: ((Les dieux inconnusa.
Le Palais de la Dicouverte actuel ncst que lem-
bryon de celui qui sera ralis sur un terrain de quatre
hectares, oh tous les moyens de construction les plus
modernes ct lcs installations les plus parfaites sont
prvus. Un vaste programmc a t tabli, avec un
plantarium ainsi quun jardin adapt divers be-
soins scicntifiques ; dans chaque section existera une
galerie dinitiation gnrale et des salles annexes dans
lcsquelles seront montes des expriences dun
niveau suprieur; bien entendu, des emplacements
seront rtservs aux expositions temporaires, aux
cxpositions dchanges et de prsentation dc tra-
vaux avec ltranger et les provinces franaises;
cest une ccuvre immense qui sera menc bonne
fin. Tous les serviccs consults ont donn leur accord
de principe, mais il est bien Evident que de longs
dlais seront ncessaires, car laFrance subit et subira
encore longtetnps les effets des dvastations et des
ruincs causes par laguerre.
Au cours de lariunion internationalc organise
en automne 1947, par la scction scientifique de
lUnesco, afin dtudicr les meilleurcs mthodes de
popularisation de la science, un vu fut vott
lunanimit rccommandant la cration dans le
monde dtablissemcnts du type du Palais dc la
Dcouvcrte.
Le groupc dexperts nord-amricains charg
dtudier la vulgarisation de la scicnce et sa porte
socialc, runi New York les 30 et 31 octobre
1947, votait une motion analogue. Enfin, cc vu fut
rcpris et confirm la Confrence gCnrale de Mcxico
en novcmhre de lammc anne.
I1existc maintenant une Union internationale de
tous les Muses du monde: 1 I c OM. Le Palais de la
Dcouverte sedoit de travailler en union troite avec
tous les tahlissements de m&me nature.
I1 faut que les muses ne soient plus de simples
conscrvatoires dobjets, ils doivent devcnir des mai-
sons vivantes, actives, dynamiques, en constante vo-
lution comme les sciences quils veulent servir.
Grbcc h ces mthodes, IC nombre des visiteurs aug-
mentera au point que la frquentation des muses
dcviendra un vritable besoin; et, par les muses, la
Sciencc pntrera dans les masses populaires.
Cest aux jeuncs quil faut faire confiance, lcur
capacit de tout remettrc en question, h lcur dvoue-
ment sans marchandage, lcur intransigeance gn-
reuse, leur fracheur denthousiasme. Cest eux
quil appartient de sauvcr et de renouvelcr le monde.
Leur premicr devoir ebt de croire au progrs humain,
de levouloir et dy travailler.
Ccrtes, il y aura encore des pas faits en arrire,
des dfaillanccs, et combien graves I Notre Cpoque
I I G
mieux que toute autre, hlas! le sait, puisquune
gnration est condamne aux travaux forcs pour
rparer les malheurs causs par quelques fous cri-
minels.
Mais, cn dpit des apparences alarmantes, la
marche en avant continue ct il ne semble pas pr-
somptueux de dirc que jamais lhomme nati aussi
matre de son destin, A lacondition quc les savants
veillent lusage qui sera fait des dcouvertes scien-
tifiques et ne leur assignent que des fins nobles et
gtnrcuses.
Pendant les dures anntes de guerre, le Palais de
la Dcouverte franais est demeur comme un actc
dc foi dans le destin des hommes. Les Palais de la
Dcouvcrtc dans le monde seront les monuments
grandioses qui marqueront Iavbncment des temps
nouveaux 051 la Sciencc sera uniquement au service
des Ceuvres de bonheur, de beaut et de justicc.
T HE PALAIS DE LA D E C O U V E R T E
continued from page Ba
accuracy, intellectual honesty and indepcndent
judgment - which that culture encourages and
which are of value to all men of whatever pro-
fession - are spread at thc same time.
What exactly is the Palais de la Dicouverte? It
is at once a creation of immense scope, a vehicle for
the popularization of scicnce, a link between the
laboratory and the general public, an institution
of high scientific lcarning open to all, and a new
instrument of scientific research.
It was with no intention of lowering-scientific
standards that the Palais de la Dicouverte set itself to
familiarize the masses of the people with the great
scientific discoveries of the past and to keep them in-
formed of those of recent date. And this is the really
novel fcature; for, while the world already possessed
scientific, or rather technical, museums of a static
kind (the opposite of what the Palais de la Dcouvertn
sets out to be), there was nobody claiming to be in a
constant statc of development for the purpose of
better portraying all thevitalcontemporary aspectsof
scientific research in its onward march. Wc wanted
J ean Perrin said, to show and convince the public
that nothing really new was achieved in the past, or
can bc achieved in the future, nothing susccptible of
changing mans apparent destiny, except through
scientific research and discovery.
Situated in the western part of the Grand Palais,
in the Champs Elyses, the Palais de la Dicouverte
covered, in 1937, zy,ooo sq. mctrcs. The Annex,
which was specially built for the Exhibition, had to
beevacuated in 1942 for security reasons, so that the
area at present occupied is some 18,000 sq. metrcs.
The electrical power-circuit comprises three trans-
former groups fed by a two-phase 12,000 v. supply
each of 590 kw., thus giving a total power of some
1100 kw. The lighting installation is fed by a sim-
ilar two-phase 12,000 v. supply having thc power
of 500 kw.
The entire electric installation includes nearly
20 km. of stcel-cased cable, and 40 km. of iron and
porcelain blocks, often in sections of 228 m. (It is
18 km. from Paris to Vcrsailles, and 40 km. from
Paris to Melun.)
The water, gas, and compressed air installations
comprise, 2,120 m. of piping, or a total weight of
io,byo kg.
The varied scicntific equipment or objects, and
the collections - slides, plates, and photographs -
are for the most part (about 84 per cent) the
property of the Palais de la Dicouverte. Sixteen
per cent of the objccts or apparatus werc lent by
public or private bodies and persons who, for the
most part, extended their loans at the end of thc
Exposition, or converted them into gifts.
A high-precision mechanical workshop and a
carpenters shop, supervised by foremen, allow the
Palais de la Dcouverte to care for its apparatus,
engage in new experiments and fit up the exhibition
rooms for the continual alterations required by the
scientific programme or the preparation of temporary
exhibitions.
Going through the many rooms of this Living
Exhibition, the visitor can every day see, repeated
beforc his eyes, scientific discoveries in the shape
of spectacular but scrupulous experiments, carried
out with the most modern equipment, while
temporaryexhibitions direct his mind to relationships
and synthcsis simultaneously by showing himthe
discoveries in thcir proper sequence.
I n the fifty-three rooms, comprising the sections
on Mathcmatics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry,
Biology, Medicine, Microbiology and (in the near
future) the History of Science, demonstrators, selec-
ted not mcrcly for their scicntific knowledge but for
their skill in prcsenting it to thc public, carry out
four hundred experimcnts under the visitors eyes,
or explain thc exhibits.
I n the Medicine Section thc explanations are
given by medical students serving as internees in
hospitals. I n the Human Biometry Room young
visitors are delighted to find they can work the test
apparatus themselves. I n one of the Mathematical
Rooms visitors are presentcd each day with two
fresh mathematical test problems; the next day thc
solutions are provided for them.
As a gcneral rule, experiments, demonstrations
or lectures take place at fixed times, and are so ar-
rangcd that there is no waiting between programmes.
(A visit to every section of the Palais, whcn the
exhibition was being shown in full, would take up
nearly fifteen hours.) A polyglot guide accom-
panies visitors or groups if desired. Itineraries are
prepared according to the visitors degree of know-
ledge. Moreover, a spccial list of expcriments has
been drawn up, corresponding to the higher primary,
or to the secondary, educational curricula.
One item is of special interest to visitors. I n the
Electricity Room, Faradays experiment on the
generation of a true direct current by the rotation
of a cylindrical magnet around its axis, with fixed
brush, is carried out. Oppositc there is a great uni-
polar dynamo of 30,000 ampers, which is a faithful
result of that discovery of Faradays. What better
proof could visitors have that laboratory experi-
ments are no mcre monopoly of scientists, but are
oftcn the source of inestimable and beneficial wealth ?
For ten ycars now the attention of visitors has
been held and their curiosity stimulated by various
methods of presentation which make use of colour,
reproduction, written texts, experiments, and oral
commentaries.
An altogether special cnvironment has been
worked out in the Palais dela Dicowverte, and hencea
favourable atmospherc created. All children are not
bornequa1,asisproved by thclawsofgenetics. Never-
theless, hereditary factors being equal, the influence
of environment is a powerful force in the develop-
ment of the individual. The presence, therefore, of
these multiple aspccts of various scicntific disciplines
is calculated to develop natural tendencics. It is
obvious that if Faraday, who worked at book-
binding, hqd not cntered Davys scrvice, he would
never have become one of the greatest physicists of
the world. But one might also say that if, whcn he
was young, there had been a Palais de la Dicouverte,
he would probably have saved many years in de-
veloping his genius.
The Palais de la Dicouverte, and all such institutes
set up in future, must become, so to speak, loci
for past and future science, and recruiting ofjces for
scientfyc researcl,.
The Palais ds la Dkouverte has the honour of
being a branch of the University of Paris, the Rector
of which takes the chair in the Council of Admini-
stration. Its Committec of Scientific Management
comprises great French scientists. Each year, pro-
fessors and assistants arrange fresh exhibitions. A
reading room and a bookstall are at the publics
disposal, Every week, from Novembcr to J uly,
lectures are given by the greatest masters of science.
The palais de la Dcouverte is visited every year
by many groups of people - such as partics of
school-children accompanied by their teachers, and
various other cultural units - with excellent results.
Since 1938 it has becn visited by T,~OO,OOO
people, including nearly 3,500 parties of school-
children comprising I jo,ooo pupils, and 600 cultural
comprising z5,ooo of their members.
Special tribute must be paid to higher primary
school-teachers, who have given of their efforts
unstintingly by bringing their pupils to the Palais
, & la Dicouverte ten or even fifteen times in the
of the school year, and setting them tasks
which have been shown to us. The pupils are very
keen on this form of teaching, and have taken great
trouble over the setting down and illustrating of
their work, which is done individually or in teams.
It appears that by this methods they remember
more and understand better what they see.
The Palais de la Dhouverte is distinguished by
the essentially human character of its work, in which
all people are invited to share their intellectual
enthusiasmwith the greatest figures in the realmof
sciences ; but there is another equally distinguishing
feature. While remaining a French conception, the
palais de la Dcouverte tends towards an internation-
afism, a universalism, which is in full harmony with
Frances humanistic traditions. Thus scientific dis-
covery is often a long chain whose links bear the
emblems of many nations.
For the lectures recourse is also had to foreign
scientists. All these lectures are published and
placed on sale.
At the great International Congress of the Palais
da la Dicouverte, in October 1937, representatives of
sixty-five foreign Universities, that is to say more
than 1,000 mathematicians, physicists, chemists and
biologists (eleven of whom were Nobel Price win-
ners), united in expressing thcir admiration for the
institution.
Close international relations have been estab-
lished. Through the New York Museumof Science
and Industry, the Carnegie Institute at Washington
lent to the Palaisdela Dicouverte, in November, 1958,
an exhibition bearing on the results of rccent
mearch in biology and astronomy. I n return, the
palais de la Dkcouverte was to send some of its latest
exhibits to the United States the following ycar.
Fh prevented this plan from being carried out,
but the foundations for large-scale international
cientific exchanges wcrc laid, and showed thc part
which the Palais de la Dicouverte was to play in the
fiuture.
I n 1938, the great InternationalCongress to com-
memorate the discovery of Hertzian waves and of
Radiumwas held in the Palais de la Dcouverte.
In 1939, when France was invited to organize a
Section for the International Exposition at
New York, the Palais de la Dcouverte was placed in
charge of this project, under the direction of a
In March 1940 a French Medical Exhibition,
which Wasto be sent to Tokio, was prepared at the
I t resulted in the setting up of a French
Laboratory for Biological Research in J apan.
of which M. F. J oliot was chairman,
to the declaration of war a very active
Mnespondance was carried on with most of the
countries ofthe world. Requests for documentation
werereceived from the most distant lands, and in
19jgg
commissions were sent by the govern-
ments Of Italy, Poland, the Argentine and Norway,
who wanted in their turn to set up similar institu-
cm3.
I n the light of the results achieved, it was thought
that the Palab de la Dicouverte should be given a
building worthy of it and adequate for meeting all
existing needs, and that space should at the same
time be set apart for unforeseen developments or,
as J canPerrin described them, the unknownGods.
The present PalaiJ de la Dkouverte is but the
embryo of that which will be built on an area of tcn
acrcs, and for which the most up-to-date construc-
tional methods and the most perfect equipment will
be used. A vast programme has becn drawn up to
include a planetarium and a garden adapted to
various scientific needs. Each section will contain
a general initiation gallery and an annex in which
more advanced experiments will be demonstrated.
Space will of course be rescrvcd for temporary
exhibitions and for exhibitions regarding the ex-
change and presentation of work between foreign
countries and the French provinces on the one hand,
and the capital on the other. It is an immense under-
taking, which will nevertheless be brought to
fruition. All the various services consultcd have
expressed thcir agreement iq principle, but a long
time will obviously be required for the undertaking,
since France is suffering, and will suffer for a long
time, from the effect of the devastation and ruin
caused by the war.
At the International Meeting organized by the
Science Section of Unesco in the autum of 1947 to
study the best methods of popularizing sciences, it
was unanimously recommended that institutes such
as the Palais de la Dcouverte should be set up
throughout the world.
A similar recommendation was voted by a group
of North American experts who were instructed to
study the popularization of science and its social
significance, and who met in New York on 30 and
3 I October 1947. Finally, it was taken up and con-
firmed at the Mexico City Conferencc in November
of the same year.
There is now an international union of all
museums of the world, which is known as the Inter-
national Council of Museums. The Palais de la Di-
couverte must work in close co-operation with every
organization of this kind.
Museums should no longer be mere repositories
of objects. They must become living, active and
dynamic institutions, in constant process of develop-
ment, as are the sciences which it is their object to
serve. By this means the number of their visitors will
increase to the point at which a visit to museunis
becomes a necessity, and science, through the mu-
seums, will penetrate the masses of the peoplc.
It is the young people, with their ability to call
everything in question, their unqualified enthusiasm,
their generous intransigeance, and their freshness,
on whom we must rely. It is they who will have to
save and reconstruct the world. Their first duty is
ti believe in human progress, to desire it and to
u rk for it.
There will admittedly be steps backward, and
fatlures - serious oncs. Our own age is only too
well aware of this, since a whole generation has been
condemned to forced labour in order to repair the
damage inflicted by a fcw criminal lunatics.
Nevertheless, despite all ugly appearances, the
march forward proceeds, and it is no exaggcration
to say that never before has man been so completely
master of his destiny, provided only that scientists
watch over the use that is made of scientific dis-
coveries and sec that they are devoted to noble and
generous ends.
During the war, the French Palais de la Dbcou-
verte was a testimony of faith in the destiny of man.
Throughout the world many technical-scientific
museums such as the Palais de la Dicouverte will
be glorious monuments marking the advcnt of
a new period, when science will be exclusively at
service of happiness, beauty and justice.
COL L ECTI ONS MUNI CI PAL ES D E
PARI S
Suite de la page 84
sur une toile jadis attribuie au Tintoret. Par contre,
une Adoration des Bergers, jusque-l inconnue et
dfigure par les repeints, put &re ainsi attribuie
avec vraisemblance au Tintoret.
Les comparaisons de certains tableaux avec des
estampes et des dessins amenrent Cgalement des
dcouvertes qui permirent notamment dattribucr
une trs belle Extase de fa Madeleine au Siennois
Manctti. Certains Plerins dEmmas donnrent A
penser plusieurs critiques quils se trouvaient en
prsence dun Rubens jusqu ici considr comme
disparu.
Les efforts combins du Service des Monuments
historiques et de la Ville de Paris se portrent encore
sur la remise en tat de lcscalier delHteldeLauzun,
dans lIlc Saint-Louis. Compltement noirci, le pla-
fond de cet escalier disparaissait sous les couches de
vernis appliques A travers les iges. I1 a retrouv tout
son clat, grce un nettoyage attentif, mais sans la
moindre restauration de lapeinture.
MUNI CI PAL COL L ECTI ONS OF PARI S
continued from page 8 j
Once a compromise was reached betwcen the
museum and the dwelling-house, the curator, M.
J ean Sergent, aftcr having carried out cleaning,
restoration and small alterations - in particular the
replacing by plywood of the dilapidated wall-hang-
ings - confined himself to reinstalling the collec-
tions.
The museum of the Place des Vosges has an
annexe Hautevzlle House, Victor Hugos home in
Guernsey. There, no question of restoration arose.
Nothing had been moved; Hauteville House situated
on British soil, had not been evacuated and con-
tinued to be visited throughout the German occu-
pation of the island. Nor were changes desirable,
since Hauteville House is the solitary example of the
house of a famous man, entirely fitted out under his
direction, according to his personal ideas and plans,
and carried out, much of it, with his own hands.
Since his time, no change whatever has becn
made in the place. Hauteville House is a typical
example of the static muscum.
The Mude Cognacq-/,y also provides little oppor-
tunity for rearrangement. Furniture and pictures
have their fixed places more or less determined by
the sections of panelling; clocks and candelabra their
allotted positions above the fircplaccs. To reinstall
the museum, all that was necessary was to put things
back again in their places with a few unimportant
changes. Above all, this museumhad to be left its
character of an amateurs collection, its harmonious
arrangement of light furniture, curios, small can-
vases and pieces of sculpture.
Since the War, the Muse Cernuschi has enjoyed
a new status. M. Ren Grousset, its curator, bang
also curator of the Musis Guimet, the two museums
of oriental art arc in a position to carry out a redis-
tribution of their collections under joint direction,
so that each will have a more precisely dcfined spcc-
ialization, more rational than in the past. This will
be described in separate articlcs.
Only two of our niuseums were built for the
express purpose of exhibiting works of art.These are
the Petit Palais and the Mude Galliera.
But if their purpose was determined, the works
to be shown in them were not, for the Duchesse de
Galliera built her museum to house collections which
she eventually left to the City of Genoa, and she
presented Paris with an empty building. Since the
assignment of this building to decorative art has
always been a little uncertain, it is uscd in the main
for tcniporary exhibitions.
==7
The Petit Palais, built for the World Exposition
of 1900, was originally only intcnded to house con-
temporary art. I t was to be a sort of municipal Mube
du Luxembourg. I t was barely finished, however,
when the City became richer by gift of the Dutuit
Collection. The building then took on a new
character, since, before arriving at contemporary
art, its collection from then on began with anti-
quities, Etruscan vases, Tanagra statucttcs, con-
tinuing through paintings of the Flemish and Dutch
Schools.
Instead of being divided between paintings and
sculpture, the Petit Palais was going to housc a large
variety of works of art: porcelain, medallions,
books, jcwcllery, ceramics, prints.
The question of the reinstallation of thc Petit
Palais was complicatcd. The only museum of the
City of Paris to be occupied by the enemy, it had
also been the only one damaged in thc battle for
liberation.
While the workmen were still busy cleaning and
restoring the building, its immense collections were
returned. They are largc cnough to occupy premises
three or four timcs as big as the Petit Palais.
But just when these collections were coming
back, the State was faccd with the problem of the
Louvre, wherc extensive construction, delayed by
thc War, prevented displaying the works of the
French school. I t was important, after the cruel
war-years, that Paris should see the masterpieces of
French painting, and become once more aware of
her greatness in onc of its most attractive manifes-
tations.
The collections of the Petit Palais, so varied in
school and nature, had thcrcfore to give way be-
fore the common effort of the whole country, and of
the City of Paris in particular, in order to put in thc
forefront the glorious achicvements of our painters.
Their exhibition was arranged by Andr Chamson
in an entirely new spirit, distinguishing two main
aspects: greatness and charm.
The painters of reality fell within the first cate-
gory, from the Christian Universe of the Middlc
Ages to Manet, by way of Le Nain, Poussin, Char-
din, David, Gricault, Ingres, Delacroix, Corot,
Courbet and Daumier. The second category com-
prised the courtly Middle Ages, the Fontainebleau-
School: Le Sueur, Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard,
Greuze.
There is inevitably something rather arbitrary
in so strict a division of a great school into two
categories. But skill, taste and talcnt enablc
curators to extricatc themselves from any diffi-
culty, and the presentation of the French School
at the Petit Palais gave striking proof of this to a
dazzled public.
While the paintings of the first category were
shown with no elaborate arrangcmcnt, depending
for their effect cntirely on how they were hung.
The paintings of the second that of charm and
grace were presented in appropriatc surroundings
amid panelling, precious hangings, furniture, objets
dart, porcelain, even bookbindings of the samc
period as the paintings - an exquisite marrying
of decorativc art with art. At times even the help
of a bunch of flowers was not despised, flowers
and furnishings making thcir contribution to the
charm of the whole by throwing into relief the
human side of our old masters and opcning a door
for the public into the lifc of their times.
Resuming an excellent tradition of pre-war years,
the Petit Palais was also used to housc thc cxhibition
of the Treasures of Vicnna. This once again was the
occasion for considerable and particularly successful
efforts in the field of installation.
I n France religious buildings are generally the
property of the municipalities. Apart from Notre
Damc, which is national property, and a fcw churchcs
I I 8
of no grcat artistic interest, the City of Paris owns
the majority of Catholic and Protestant churches
and J ewish synagogucs, and is rcsponsiblc for thcir
upkcep, undcr the control of the Department of
Historical Monuments, when the edifice is in part or,
wholly, un the list of protected monuments.
At the beginning of war, whcn works of art
were evacuatcd from the churches, some fifty reli-
gious sculptures were put for safety in the very heart
of Paris, in the deep crypts of Saint Sulpicc. Aftcr
the Liberation, before they were returned to the
churches, these sculptures, which included works by
Germain Pilon, Odm Bouchardon, Coysevox, Pi-
galle, Falconet, Pajou, Le Moyne, Coustou, Houdon,
Barye and Rude, were shown to the public in their
shelter without any claboratc prcparation: Thc
museum of a momcnt, open for no mure than a
fcw wccks.
At the very same time soinc of thc statuary from
Westminstcr Abbcy was being presented to thc
English public and put on display in the Victoria and
Albert Museum before bcing returned to the tombs
and niches of the Abbey.
The exhibition in the crypt of Saint Sulpice had
one merit: it surroundcd thc works with the unusual
atmospherc of the catacombs, imparting them with
an absolute sincerity, for the statues remained in
their places in the vaultcd shelter. All that was done
was to light thcm.
I n general, church paintings receive less atten-
tion than those in museums. They are disturbed only
for compelling rcasons and remain for many years
exposcd to dust and the smoke of tapers. When these
paintings were brought back to Paris, inspired by
J ean Verrier, thcscrvices of the Historical Monu-
ments department and those of the City of Paris,
taking advantage of the fact that the pictures were
down, all unitcd to clean and, where necessary, to
back or transfer them.
I n this way the pictures were givcn lcisurcly
study. Beside thc physical treatment, they were the
subject of research work which allowed them to
become better known and many erroneous attribu-
tions to be corrccted. Thus the cleaning permitted
dates and signatures to be discovered, for example,
that of Luca Giordano, or that of Claudc Vignon
on a canvas prcviously attributed to Tintoretto.
Again it was possible for an Adoration oftheS6epberds,
previously unknown and disfigurcd by rc-painting,
to be attributcd with some degree of certainty to
Tintoretto.
The comparison of certain picturcs with prints
and drawings also led to discoveries, which enabled
in particular a very fine Exta-y of Ma v Maxdalene to
be attributed to the Sienese paintcr Manctti. On
examining certain Disciples of Emmau several critics
were lcd to believe they had come across a Rubens
up to then considered lost.
The combined cfforts of the Historical Monu-
ments scrvice and the Municipality were further
directed to the restoration of the staircase of the
Hotel Lauzun on thc Ile Saint Louis. The completely
blackcncd ceiling of this staircase was hidden beneath
the coats of varnish accumulatcd through thc ages.
Thanks to carcful cleaning, it has recovered its
brilliance without any restoration whatsoever of
the painting.
THE MU S E E C A R N A V A L E T
continued from puXe 87
of documcnts) has been completed for all major
categories (paintings, drawings, sculptures, panel-
lings, furniture, signboards, wcapons) and of the
entire archaelogical section - in all some sj,ooo ex-
hibits. The inventory is being continued for the
other categories and has bccn almost completed for
the items of the Print Department and for the
principal series in the Numismatics Department. It
is being prepared for the Costumes collections.
Contemporary Documents
The Print Dcpartmciit has bccn given scvcral
thousand photographs illustrating the operation of
the various public services in the city of Paris;
events during thc Occupation and Liberation of
Paris and architectural changes being made in soinc
of the old quarters.
This collcction of documents, which we arc
compiling with the co-operation of the Prefecture
of the Seine, is to be extended to includc contem-
porary events in Paris history.
THE P E T I T P A L A I S
contnwed from page 88
I n order to increase hanging space for the pic-
tures and to lcssen the reflection of light, recesses
at an angle were constructed for the picturcs along
the walls of the galleries, lightcd by long windows.
Diffcrcnt fabrics, of colours varying to suit thc
pictures hung against them, were used as a back-
ground. I n addition to daylight, artificial lighting
was used, thrown onto the paintings at an angle.
A circular gallery at the top of a staircasc was
completely hung with tapestries of cloth of gold,
brilliantly illuminated by floodlighting from the
ceiling.
All these devices, which wc hope to improve
still further, will be used for the new display of the
permanent collections at the Petit Palais - thc Dutuit
and Tuck Collections and the Municipal Collections
- which are shortly to be installed in the rooms
vacated by the exhibition of Viennesc Trcasures.
L E M U S E E C E R N U S C H I
S~i t e de la page 91
des salles adjacentes, o de grands placards dissi-
muls dans les murs permettent de vidcr lcs vitrines
ct dentreposer lcur contcnu en lieu sr, avec le
minimum de temps et de fatigue.
Lclairage lectrique est assur par des vasques
dcsccndant du plafond; de nombreuses prises de
courant permettent, si lebesoin sen fait sentir, duti-
liser rflecteurs et installations provisoircs. Dans la
grandc sallc, lclairage du plafond se compltte par
des rampes disposrs lattralement dans les vitrines
infrieures. Des rampes horizontales avaient t ga-
lcment prvucs; lcs difficults actuelles ont fait diff-
rer leur installation, mais il est esprer quelle sef-
fectuera aussitt que possible, car lclairage latral,
favorablc aux cramiques qui y sont habituellement
exposes, sy avrerait insuffisant pour les peintures.
Tout en dotant son muse dunc iiista!lation
modcrnc, la Villc dc Paris lui a donn une orienta-
tion nouvelle. En tant que centre darchologie chi-
nuise, le muse doit assurer une fonction denseigne-
ment. La prkscntation des collections est donc de-
venue plus didactique : tiquettes plus nombreuses,
notices gnrales discrktement disposes sur les murs,
rsumant lvolution historique et artistique dunc
tpoque ou dune technique, cartes, plans, documen-
tation photographique accompagnent et encadrent
lcs objcts sans jamais chercher B les supplanter ct
permettent aux visiteurs de trouver, sur place, les
renseignements nccssaircs pour la comprhension
dun art encore tranger ;I beaucoup. Ce principe
didactique est au reste en accord avec les tendances
gnrales des muscs dc la Ville de Paris. Il a de
mkmc prsid a llaboration des expositions tempo-
raires dont des catalogues succincts, mais qui cher-
chent tre substanticls, n diffusentr les donnes les
plus rcentes sur le sujet traitt.
La guerre vint arrter lactivit du Muse Cer-
nuschi, dont les meillcures pitces se virent abrites
dans dcs dpts de repli ou dans les caves meme de
lavenue Vlasquez. Mais, sur linitiativc de notrc
directeur, M. Y . Bizardel, il rouvrit ses portes dts
le dbut dc 1941 et, depuis lors, le travail de rtorga-
nisation mustographique sy est poursuivi sans arret.
Le principe gnral est de suggrer, pour chaque
une ide de son volution gnrale, sui-
-nt des &es Ltablics grCc aux tudes des archCo-
lopes ou des historiens de lart les plus qualifis, et
en annonatlt, le cas chant, les nouvelles hypo-
&..es proposes par quelque chercheur et qui ne
alors prtscntes que SOUS rserve dc confirma-
-.
tion ultrieure.
Cette PrCsentation, qui permct de tenit lepublic
au dcs tudes les plus rcentes au fur et
de leur apparition, est obtenue grce lem-
ploi $etiquettes dc couleurs diffrentes, suivant quil
s$agit de donnes gnralement admises ct dont le
muse endossc la responsabilit, ou de simples
hypothbses.
Cest ainsi que, pour laprsentation des bronzes
archalques, la classification et la chronologie adop-
tes celles de lexcellent archologue chinois
.. .
J ung-~eng qui font prsent autorit, et qui com-
piktent ceilCs de lminent sinologuc sudois Bern-
hard Karlgren. (Une exposition du Muse Cernuschi
fait connatre au public parisien le systme et la
chronologie de Karlgren, ds leur publication en
1937). Les bronzes sont accompagns dtiquettcs
indiquant, sil Y a lieu, avec leur origine, latranscrip-
tion et l a traduction de leurs inscriptions, si impor-
tantes pour les tudes sinologiques.
Parallblcmcnt, des notices de couleurs diffrentes
evoquent les derniers travaux du savant chinois
Tchen Meng-chia qui tente actuellement dtablir
pour chaque type de vase une chronologie p h d-
taillefondCesur 1Cvolution des formcs et des motifs,
et doprer, par Itude des inscriptions, un classe-
ment proprement rgional des diverses sries de
bronzes archaiqucs.
Lart chinois ou sinisant dIndochine va tre pr-
sent, suivant les mmes principes, grce aux trou-
vailles dOlov R. J . J nnse, archologuc sudo-amri-
cain qui, dc I932 1938, mena des fouilles impor-
tantes prbs 1Ecole franaise $Extreme-Orient, en
particulier dans la province du Thanh-hoa. Bronzes
et poteries schclonnent dans cctte srie de lpoque
des Han A cclle des Song. Il est, bien entendu, fait
&at ici des toutes nouvelles datations proposes par
M. J anse dans lerecent ouvragc quil vient dc fairc
paratre Harvard, sous les auspices de 1Ecole fran-
(aise dExtr&me-Orient, des Muscs de Paris et du
Harvard Ienching Institutel.
Lorsque, dans quelques semaines, cettc prsen-
tation nouvellc sera achcve, on pourra tudier suc-
cessivement :
1 dans levestibule du muse: larchitecture chi-
noise voquCe laide de spcimcils rduits trouvs
dans le mobilier funraire dcs Han, ainsi que de
modbles en bois, en bronzc ou en porcelaine;
2 dans les premires salles du premier tage:
les bronzes archaiques et les spcimens de lart no-
madequi servit de lien entre laChine et lAsie occi-
datale; aussi les jades archaques et les pierres dures
3 dans la grande salle ou salle du grand
bouddha: lvolution dc la cramique chinoise, de-
puis les vases nolithiques jusquaux raf!inements de
la ufamilk fase)'. Des indications tcchniques per-
mettent de suivre IC dvcloppement de lapotetie et
rapparition dc laporcclaine;
4 lart chinois dIndochine (Ihatih-hoa, etc.);
5 au rez-dc-chaussc, o lon accdc par un
intrieur, lastatuaire funmire des Han et des
Cette prisentation asscz souplc permettra, par un
simp1e dtiquettcs, de modifier, selon
les exigences de lactualit scientifique, ledispositif
denseignement.
des XVII Ct XVI I I ~sicles;
et lasculpture bouddhique.
--- ._
Archaeoki cd Research in Indochina, Ilarvard
~rcss, 1947, raisant grandemcnt Usage
collections dont la hlissiori J anse a
le Muse Cernuschi, ainsi quc de cellcs qui
Ont au Muse de Hano,
Outre cet effort de mise au point dans les salles
dexposition, se poursuivent lcs amnagements des
services intrieurs: unc pice du premier etage vient
d&tre dispose pour la prparation des expositions
temporaires. Au rez-de-chaussie, une salle contient
des piccs de second choix qui, sans Ctrc proposes
en cxemple au visitcur habituel, pcuvent cependant
servir de documents de comparaison pour lcs sp-
cialistes.
Enfin, les rserves ont t pourvues de rayon-
nages sur lesquels sont mthodiquement classes et
peuvent tre tudies lcs sries de cramique chinoise
et japonaise tardives, ainsi quc lcs bronzes dpoque
mandchoue qui conservent, en tout tat de cause, un
intrt documentairc et comparatif.
THE M U S E R CERNUS CHI
continued from page 91
hluscography in the days of the Goncourts, in-
cidentally, was not lacking in the picturesque and
has its place in history along with the whole decora-
tive style of the Eighties.
I n 1905, howcver, when M. dH. dhrdennc de
Tizac was appointed curator, the museumbegan a
new life, dominated by the Revolution of Contem-
porary Sinology. At the beginning of the prcsent
century, thc sirlological studics carried on by Western
scholars, particularly F.douard Chavannes explora-
tions in China, brought tolight really ancient works of
art, whose splendour and variety were soon to eclipse
thc China of draught-screens, thc only China then
known to us. I t was a happy time revealing an ever re-
moter past and bringing every year some new disco-
very: Buddhist statues of the Wci, Souei and Tang
periods, funcral sculpture and pottery of thc Han, Six
Dynastics and Tang periods, and the archaic bronzes
and jades. The enormous merit of dHe dArdenne
de Tizac - one of the men most in advance of the
time -was his immediate realization of the vast im-
portance of thesc revelations. Moreover he had the
benefit of admirable support from his friend Victor
Goloubew, the aristocrat of Asiatic archaeology,
from our dear friend Hackin, who was to take charge
of the Mude Guimef, Victor Segalen and J ean Lar-
tigue, the two latter disciples of Edouard Chavannes
and destined to continue his splendid discoveries in
China.
For a quarter of a century - just in those years
when masterpieccs were easily acquired - the cura-
tor of the Mude Cernuschi was continually augmcnt-
ing his collections by the addition of numerous
specimens from the great periods. He set up in Paris
the largest collectionof funerary statuettes of theHan
and Tang periods and most important sets of archaic
bronzes and jades. The Csrnrrschi thus became a
museum of fine Chinesc archaeology.
The new acquisitions continued, howcver, to be
displayed in the by now rather antiquated setting of
a private house furnishcd in what is now considcred
the over-opulent style of the cnd of thc nineteenth
century.
The big room had remained unchanged and the
archaic specimens were shown in the adjoining small
rooms and on the ground floor. The single mod-
ern notc, thanks to dArdenne de Tizac, was struck
by thc new show-cases. Thesc are still in use; thcy
consist of glass and metal cases fittcd to the wall,
and small c/ochef and other cases mounted on plain
tablcs of dark wood. DArdenne de Tizac was busy
studying a big plan of museummodcrnization when
death brought his work to an end in 1933.
His loss to the museum was irrcparable. His
successor carried on the work so well begun and
tried to complete the collections of archaic art. He
also tricd,according to his prcdccessors programmc,
and following the examples of J . Hackin of the
M d e Guiwet and 1)r. Rivet at the Trocadkro, to
modcrnize the gcneral furnishings of thc house at the
Parc Monceau,
At this point the Paris Municipality, at the sug-
gestion of the Marquis dAndign and bf. Pierre
Barras, made thc museum a generous grant of
300,000 francs and, thanks to the ability and devotion
of Pierre Fournier, the eminent architect who was
put in charge of the work, this sum sufficed for the
complete transformation of the exhibition galleries.
The former mouldings of the ccilings and on the
ground floor were eliminated, and the dark paint was
replaced by a light creamcolour. The big room was
morc difficult, however. The great bronze Buddha
required a vcry high ceiling, and it was therefore
necessary to keep thc arrangement of wall-cases in
two rows, one above the other. PierreFournier solved
the problem skilfully, diminishing the ugly effect
of shelves one abovc the other by means of a clever
irregularity, the upper row of cases being placed
considerably further back than the lower ones. This
was a particularly happy solution both from the
aesthetic and the museographical points of view,
since it made a good deal of space available and
avoided a crowded effect.
I n the first days of the Museumthe great Buddha
was i n the centre of the room, which it rather over-
whelmed and cut in two. I n 1934, it was moved and
placed against the wall at the end of the room, where
it presided majcstically. As an integral part of the
architecture, in harmony with the dimensions of the
vast central space, it ceased to be out of proportion.
The great Buddha therefore now fills the cnd of
the room. I t stands on a hexagonal pedestal above
a staircase leading off on either side of the statue to
two galleries equipped with show cases fixed to the
wall. These gallerics are supported by the cases
below, which, as we said, stand further forward than
those upstairs. The cases, which appear to be em-
bedded in the wall, are divided on both sides of the
room into three distinct sections, separated and
bordered by partitions covered by light-coloured
plywood matching the woodwork of the stairs, the
pedestal of the Buddha, and the stands of the upper
row of cases. The wooden borders make an excel-
lent setting for the specimcns displayed. To enablc
the effects to be varied and so that pictures could
be hung for temporary exhibitions, Pierrc Fournier
dcvised a systcmof sliding panels, able to be moved
in grooves, at will, to cover the lower cases. This
simple and practical device provides large flat sur-
faces, as requited, for exhibitions of pictures, and
particularly for the display of Chinese scrolls, with-
out touching the wall-cases, which can thus behidden
from the visitor by a simple shifting of panels.
Thc show-cases open from behind onto little
corridors fitted into the gallcries, in which the elec-
trical apparatus is housed and wherc equipment such
as rods, pedestals and supports for temporary ex-
hibitions can be kept. There are also shelves for the
accommodation of objects placed temporarily in
reserve, a purpose further served by cupboards fitted
into the stands of the upper row of show-cases.
All praise is due to Pierre Fournier, who, while
producing a harmonious gencral effect, did not forget
the important material arrangements needed in the
mounting of an exhibition to minimize the handling
of works of art, with its attendant risks. If, for
cxample, a temporary exhibition wcre to require the
removal of our main specimcns, the latter could
immcdiately be accommodated, on the spot, in the
dcpositories prepared for that purpose. The same
care has bcen taken in the arrangement of the adja-
cent rooms, whcre large built-in cupboards, indis-
tinguishable from the walls, enablc the show-cases
to be emptied and their contents housed in safety
with a minimumof time and trouble.
The electric lighting is arrangcd in bowls sus-
pended from the cciling; thcre are many electric
connexions, so that reflectors and temporary equip-
ment can be used whcn required. In addition to
ceiling lighting, the big room is equipped with a scries
of lights running up the sides of thc lower show
cascs; a horizontal series was also contemplated, but
has not yet been installed becausc of present-day dif-
ficulties. It is to be hoped that this will be done as
soon as possiblc, for, while thc laterial lighting sets
off to advantage thc pottery exhibits for which it is
mostly used, it would bc inadequate for paintings.
I n giving thc museumthis modern cquipment,
the Municipality of Paris has also set it a ncw task.
As a centre of archaeological studics on China, the
museum has an educational mission to fulfil. The
display of the collcctions, therefore, has now a more
instructional purposc. This involves more labels:
gcneral noticcs placed inconspicuously on the walls,
giving a summary of the historical and artistic
evolution of a period or technique, maps, plans and
photographs, which are shown with the exhibits -
without of course supplanting the latter - and supply
visitors with the information rcquired for thc under-
standing of an art still unknown to many. This edu-
cational principle is morcover in conformity with the
general trend of the Paris museums. It has also
governed the organization of temporary exhibitions,
for which catalogues, concise but sufficiently de-
tailed, give the latest information on the subject
concerned.
The activities of the Mude Cernwchi werc
interrupted during the war, when the bcst objects
were placcd safely in hiding or evcn put in the cellars
of the Avenue Velasqucz. On the initiation of our
director, M. Y. Dizardel, the museumreopcned at the
beginning of 1945, and since then the reorganization
work has bcen carried on without interruption.
The general principle is to give an idea of the
general cvolution of each technique, in accordance
with the information collected as a rcsult of the stud-
ics of the most competent archaeologists and art
historians, and with mention, as the case may be,
of any new hypothesis which may be suggested by a
rcsearch-worker, such hypothesis being put forward
subject to subsequent confirmation.
This method, which enables the public to be kept
informed of the most reccnt work as it appears, is put
into practice by the use of differently coloured labels,
depending on whether the information given it a
generally acknowledged fact for which the museum
accepts responsibility, or represents nicre hypothesis.
For the display of the archaic bronzes,forexample,
the classification and chronology adoptcd are
those of the renowncd Chinese archaeologist J ung-
Keng, which are now authoritative, and supplement
those of the eminent Swedish sinologist Bernard
Karlgrcn (Karlgrens systemand chronology bccame
known to the Paris public at the time of their publi-
cation, in 1937, through an cxhibition at the Mude
Cernuschi). The bronzes have labels, giving, with
origin, a transcription and translation of inscriptions,
(if there are any), which arc of great valuc to sino-
logical studies.
At thc same time, notices, in diffcrent colours
rcfer to the latest works of thc Chinese scholar Chen
Meng-chia, who is at present trying to establish a
more detailed chronology based on the evolution
of forms and motifs for each type of vase, and to
work out, by a study of the inscriptions, a strictly
regional classification of the different scries of archaic
bronzes.
Chinese art from Indo-China will shortly be dis-
played on the same principles, thanks to thc dis-
coveries of Olov R. J . J anse, the Swedish-American
archaeologist, who from 1932 to 1938 was in charge
of the important excavations by the .&ole Fran-
pi se dExtrme-Orient, particularly in the province
ofThanh-hoa. The bronzes and pottery in this series
aver thc periods from Han to Song. Reference is ot
course madc here to the entirely new hypotheses put
forward by M. J anse in the reccnt workwhich he has
--
1 Archaeological Research i n Indochina, Harvard
Univcrsity Press, 1947, which makes frequent use of
the new collections with which the J anse Mission
enriched the Mwe Cernwchi, and also of those
which have remained in the Museumat Hanoi.
published at Harvard, under the auspices of the
&cole Franfaire dExtrme-Orient, the Museums of
Paris and the Harvard Yenching Institute.
When, in a few wecks time, the new arrange-
mcnts are completed, the visitors will be able to
study in succession:
I . In the entrance hall: Chinese architecture, by
means of miniature specimens found in the funeral
furniture of the Han period, and of models in wood,
bronze, and porcelain.
2. I n thc first rooms on the first floor: archaic
bronzes and spccimens of the nomadic art which
was a link between China and Wcstern Asia; archaic
jades and hard stones of the seventeenth and eight-
eenth centurics.
3. I n the Largc or Buddha room: the evolution
of Chinesc pottery, from neolithic vases to the deli-
cate faamille rose. Notices giving tcchnical infor-
mation enable visitors to follow the development of
pottery and the introduction of porcelain.
4. Chinese art in Indo-China (Thanh-hoa, etc.).
3 . On the ground floor, reached by an inside
staircase, funeral statues of the Han and Tang periods
and Buddhist sculpture.
This rather elastic method of display will make
it possiblc, by a mere change of labels, to modify the
instructional methods in accordance with prcsent-
day scientific requirements.
I n addition to this attempt to modernize the
exhibition rooms, the internal scrvices arc being
reorganized. Onc room on the first floor has just bccn
equippcd for the preparation of temporary exhibi-
bitions. I n another room on the ground floor are
housed the second-quality exhibits, which, though
not offered as examples to the ordinary visitor, may
serve as comparative data for specialists.
Finally, the storage has been equipped with
shelves, on which the late sets of Chinese and
J apanese pottery, and the bronzes of the Manchu
period are arranged for study; these, whatever
their merits, have a docunicntary and comparative
interest.
I r i nt d in Swut~erland. Bucbdruckrei Wintertbur AG