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THE ART MUSEUM OF ROGER-QUILLIOT

The art museum of Roger-Quilliot (amRQ) is located in Clermont-Ferrand (in the district of Montferrand) in a part of buildings of the former Ursulines convent built during the 17th century. This edifice is listed as a historical monument. The museum opened in 1992 under the name of Musée des beaux-arts and then was renamed for a former mayor of Clermont-Ferrand.

The construction of the museum had been transformed by the architects Claude Gaillard and Adrien Fainsilber. The various rooms are organized on three levels around a central atrium topped with a canopy designed by the engineer Peter Rice. On a surface of 6 000 m2, the museum counts 2 000 works of a period which begins in the Middle Ages until the 20th century. He also has spaces for temporary exhibitions, generally in connection with works of the museum or for the welcome of contemporary artists. A documentation centre is on the top floor of the museum.

Collections

The museum groups the municipal collections of paintings, sculptures, art furniture and objects until then stored in two other museums of the city, the Bargoin museum and the museum of Ranquet. The works are exposed in a chronological way, with a room or a space by period.

Medieval times (from the 7th century)

This space, on the ground floor, contains in particular big tops of Roman churches of the region, the sculptures as ''La Vierge de Vernols'', ''Notre-Dame d'Usson'', and other witnesses of the Roman art from Auvergne.

Renaissance Room

This room on the first floor contains paintings (La Passion du Christ by Cornelis Engebrechtsz), furniture and sculptures as the statue of Pallas-Athena by Léonard Sarson.

The 7th century and 8th century

On the first floor, are gathered at the same time paintings and objects of the region (landscapes, earthenware of Clermont-Ferrand) as well as works of famous French painters (portrait of Vincent Voiture by Philippe de Champaigne, Marine by Joseph Vernet, Les Lavandières by François Boucher etc.) and of artists from the Northern Europe (L’arracheur de dents by Theodore Rombouts) or Italia (Salomon et la reine de sabaet Salomon encense les idoles by Donato Creti, Sainte Agathe by Giulio Cesare Procaccini, etc).

The 19th century

On the 2nd floor is the space of the 19th century where are gathered the works linked with the regional history (Épreuve en plâtre de la Statue équestre de Vercingétorix by Bartholdi, La défense des Gaules by Théodore Chassériau) as well as the other valuable works: La lutte pour la vie by Henry-Eugène Delacroix, Portrait de Louise (hi solder sister) (1884) by Camille Claudel, la toile Les Saltimbanques by Gustave Doré, Vercingétorix appelle les Gaulois à la défense d'Alésia by François-Émile Ehrmann, Les reproches d'Hector à Pâris by François Mulard.

The 20th century

In the basement, on two levels, are contemporary collections. A wide part comes from a donation made for the museum (donation Simone and Maurice Combe, collectors of Clermont) with paintings of Marie Laurencin, Paul Rebeyrolle, Marcel Gromaire, Moise Kisling, Jean Carzou, Jean Fautrier, Bernard Buffet, etc. The collection also contains Édouard Pignon's painting, Jean Arp's sculpture, photos of Nils-Udo or Georges Rousse, as well as numerous lithographs (of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, etc.).

Paintings

The collections of the museum contain paintings of:

• Cristofano Allori
• Simon Vouet
• Philippe de Champaigne
• Jacques Blanchard
• II Sassoferrato
• Carlo Dolci
• Donato Creti
• Carlo Cignani
• Giulio Cesare Procaccini
• Theodore Rombouts
• Jan Fyt
• Hyacinthe Rigaud
• Carle Van Loo
• Joseph Vernet
• François Boucher
• Jean-Marc Nattier
• Joseph-Marie Vien
• Théodore Chassériau
• Camille Corot
• Gustave Doré (Les Saltimbanques)
• Othon Friesz
• André Lhote
• Bernard Buffet

Temporary exhibitions

The museum welcomes several exhibitions every year. We can quote in particular:

• "Architectures Georges Rousse" from May 11th till September 5th, 2010, reports with the architecture of Georges Rousse's photos.

• "Années 1950, l’alternative figurative" from June 12th till October 28th, 2007, on the representational paint in France following the post-war period.

The building of the museum

In this place sat the Court of Aids of Montferrand (created in 1557) before its transfer in Clermont; of this time, there is only a monumental gateway dating the 17th century. The Court of Aids is replaced in 1634 by a college of Jesuits; in 1637, the Ursulines are established next to the college of the Jesuits. In 1663, the college is transferred to Clermont and the Ursulines get back the set of the buildings which they occupy until the Revolution. In 1702 is built the chapel. In 1801, buildings are allocated to the major seminary, which occupies them up to the application of the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State. They serve as military hospital during the World War I, and then are occupied by the gendarmerie until 1982. They are registered on the additional Inventory of historical monuments by decree of October 27th, 1986. In 1984, the city of Clermont-Ferrand decides on the restoration of the building to establish, in the north part, the museum of Fine Arts. It is opened in 1992 then inaugurated in 1993 by Pierre Bérégovoy, and takes in 1999 Roger Quilliot's name, former mayor (1973-1997) and Secretary. The architects in charge of the design, Adrien Fainsilber and the inhabitant of Clermont Claude Gaillard, decided to organize the spaces of the museum, installed in diverse buildings dating from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century which surrounded an inner yard, around a central atrium (in the location of the yard) covered with a monumental canopy. This atrium facilitates the internal traffic while welcoming generously the natural light.