Back in 1836, the founding members of Agen’s Academic Society didn’t just want a place to stash some paintings-they had dreams of an entire museum. The only hitch? Their budget was a bit like a painter’s palette missing a few colors. So, in a stroke of brilliance (and not a little desperation), they offered their growing collection to the city in 1863, on just one condition: the museum director would always be handpicked by them. Not exactly a bank heist, but quite the masterstroke for a group of scholars!
By 1876, the museum found its grand home across four Renaissance mansions, each one brimming with stories. As you walk through these ancient thresholds, it's as if you’re being welcomed into the cozy, extravagant house of a slightly eccentric-and very wealthy-European collector. Don’t worry, you won’t have to dust the statues. The collection stretches from prehistoric tools all the way into the bold brushstrokes of the 20th century. There’s truly something for everyone here, whether you’re stirred by medieval tombs or Impressionist skies.
Speaking of excitement, did you hear about the major overhaul in 2012? The museum closed its doors for months-probably sending several paintings into existential crisis mode-just to meet new standards and give its aging halls a much-needed facelift. If only they could have touched up my old sneakers while they were at it...
Marvel at how every artifact has a story to tell. On one floor, you’re staring at a medieval knight’s tomb, carved with solemn detail and draped in tapestry as plush as royal robes. A few steps away, the gallo-roman galleries dazzle you with objects fit for a toga party: the famous Venus from Mas d’Agenais, a Togatus statue, and dazzling jewelry that once made someone in old Aginnum the talk of the town. Move along and you’ll see prisoner stones and ancient funerary relics, making you realize-sometimes, history is more drama than the best soap opera!
Now for a twist worthy of an art caper: the museum holds an impressive Spanish collection, thanks to the very generous-and possibly very suave-Count of Chaudordy. Now, this count wasn’t just any collector. As a French ambassador to Spain, he collected five paintings by the iconic Francisco Goya. Among them? A self-portrait painted in 1783, and others tinged with fantasy and royal intrigue: a scene of caprices, an equestrian sketch of Ferdinand VII, and a painting with a title so French it could wear a beret-Le Ballon. If that’s not enough, feast your eyes on masterpieces from Tintoretto, Corneille de Lyon, and Dutch and Flemish artists whose names are almost as dramatic as their artwork.
Wander through the 18th and 19th centuries and you’ll find yourself surrounded by a sparkling company of portraits: Madame du Barry flirting with a coy smile, Madame Sophie, and even the young Louis XV. You’ll spot Impressionists like Eugene Boudin and Alfred Sisley making the skies shimmer; Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot’s landscapes whisper with rainy French afternoons; while Corneille de Lyon’s men try to out-stare you across the room. And don’t miss the landscapes, portraits, and city scenes by local talents-from the poetic brush of Jules Arrès-Lapoque to the innovative Roger Bissière.
Strange, beautiful, comic, and tragic-through every era, every brushstroke, and every chiseled marble, the Museum of Fine Arts of Agen is a grand, delightfully eccentric gallery of human creativity and ambition. You never know what you’ll find around the next corner-other than a possibly judgmental statue or two. Enjoy your grand tour through the centuries!
