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Le Dossier De Présentation Musée Léon Dierx Dossier de présentation à l’attention des enseignants Page | 1 Sommaire La notion de « musée » « Le musée est une institution permanente sans but lucratif, au service de la société et de son Histoire du musée Léon Dierx…………………………… p. 3 développement, ouverte au public, qui acquiert, conserve, Histoire des collections du musée…………………….. p. 7 étudie, expose et transmet le patrimoine matériel et Les personnages du musée………………………………. P. 10 immatériel de l’humanité et de son environnement à des fins d’études, d’éducation et de Préparer sa visite et outils de médiation…………… p. 14 délectation. » Informations pratiques…………………………………….. p. 17 Définition de l’ICOM Page | 2 Histoire du musée Avant la création du musée L'emplacement occupé actuellement par le musée fait autrefois partie d'un terrain plus vaste, borné au nord par la rue de l'Arsenal (rue Roland Garros), au sud par la rue Sainte-Marie, à l'est par la rue Royale (rue de Paris) et à l'ouest par un sentier qui deviendra plus tard la rue Fénélon. Cette concession est morcelée en 1842 en six lots. L'un d'entre eux est celui qui nous intéresse ; il s'agit d'une parcelle de 2 400 m2, située à l’angle de la rue de Paris et de la rue Sainte-Marie, acquise le 7 octobre 1843 par Gustave Manès, propriétaire terrien à Sainte-Marie, pour y faire construire sa maison. La maison Manès Les plans de la demeure sont dessinés par les architectes Félix et Joseph Fraixe suivant les indications du nouveau propriétaire. Le bâtiment est livré en 1846. Cette bâtisse de style néo-classique est l'une des plus belles maisons du chef-lieu. L’imposant mur d’enceinte et son portail, surmontés de vases Médicis en métal, constituent en son temps une grande originalité. Ce mur original disparaît à l’occasion de travaux de rénovation dans les années 1930, remplacé par une grille en métal. Bâtie en pierre, la façade masque un corps de bâtiment en bois. Ce mélange de matériaux est rare dans l’architecture créole traditionnelle. La partie en bois est surmontée d’une toiture à huit pans. Derrière la maison se trouvent des dépendances accessibles depuis un porche donnant sur la rue Sainte-Marie. La façade retient surtout l’attention, avec son portique dont les colonnes sont surmontées de chapiteaux ioniques, et sa balustrade couronnée de vases décoratifs. Le siège de l'évêché La famille Manès y habite jusqu’en 1855 puis la vend à l'industriel et homme politique Georges Imhaus. En 1860, nommé représentant de La Réunion à Paris, il quitte La Réunion et vend sa maison à la colonie. Elle devient le siège de l'évêché de La Réunion jusqu'à la proclamation de la loi de séparation de l'Église et de l'État en 1905. Page | 3 Le premier musée Léon-Dierx Conséquence de la loi de Séparation de l’Église et de l’État, le bâtiment occupé par l'évêché est officiellement affecté au Musée d'art et d'histoire, le 9 mars 1912. Il est baptisé musée Léon-Dierx le 6 août 1912, en mémoire du poète réunionnais décédé à Paris, peu de temps auparavant. En octobre 1912, les travaux de rénovation s'achèvent et le musée est inauguré le 12 novembre 1912. Une photographie immortalise l'évènement, l'assemblée posant sur les marches de l'édifice. Visiter le musée Le parcours muséographique propose à l’entrée, dans l’ancienne varangue, une galerie de sculptures constituée de moulages en plâtre provenant d’églises et cathédrales françaises du Moyen-Âge. Les documents et souvenirs historiques sur La Réunion occupent l’ancienne salle à manger. Tout autour, dans les autres pièces se trouvent la collection de tableaux modernes, les reproductions photographiques des grands chefs d’œuvres de la peinture française, une section religieuse, la salle Paul et Virginie, et enfin une petite salle présentant des chaises à porteur et quelques autres objets d’art. Les premiers travaux De 1912 à 1947, le musée ne subit aucune modification profonde : les administrateurs du musée se contentent de procéder à des réparations urgentes ou à des travaux d’entretien. Un léger réaménagement est réalisé avec la création d’une section consacrée au legs Kervéguen en 1922. Après la donation Vollard en 1947, l’intérieur du musée est de nouveau partiellement rénové, les papiers peints disparaissent laissant place à des murs blanc immaculé. Le cyclone de janvier 1948 aggrave la détérioration du bâtiment, le découvrant entièrement. Les collections sont entassées dans les réserves et le musée est fermé. De 1948 à 1952 la toiture est refaite ; plafonds et planchers sont remplacés, des cloisons abattues. Le 4 décembre 1952 le musée est enfin rouvert au public. Six ans plus tard, le musée est de nouveau fermé en raison de problèmes d’étanchéité. Réparé, il accueille non pas les collections mais l’administration judiciaire de 1958 à 1960. De nouveau ouvert au public cette année-là, il ferme en 1963 pour être entièrement démoli. Page | 4 Un nouveau musée À la fin de l’année 1959, les élus du Conseil général analysent le projet du nouveau musée Léon Dierx. Il a été dessiné par les architectes Jean Hébrard et Pierre Abadie. Les dépenses de reconstruction sont partagées entre le Conseil général et le ministère de la Culture. Tout en respectant l’implantation au sol de l’ancienne maison, la partie en bois du bâtiment est démolie pour laisser place à de grandes salles modernes en béton. Dans un premier temps la façade en pierre du musée est maintenue. Rapidement cependant, en raison de son mauvais état, il faut aussi la démolir. Elle est remplacée par une copie conforme en béton armé. Le 18 mars 1965, le nouveau musée est inauguré par le préfet Alfred Diefenbacher et propose sa première exposition temporaire : " La Peinture française depuis le cubisme". À l’intérieur, les œuvres sont redéployées sur des murs et surtout sur des cloisons amovibles en bois soutenues par des tiges en fer fixées au sol et au plafond. Il est possible de les déplacer au gré de la configuration d’une exposition. Une grande salle centrale dispose de cloisons coulissantes qui permettent de la rendre modulable selon les normes en vigueur dans l’architecture muséale des années 1960. Sur les nouvelles façades sud et nord, des parois de verre protégées par des claustras de béton, font entrer très généreusement la lumière à l’intérieur des salles. La nouvelle architecture du musée est à la pointe de ce qui se fait de mieux en la matière à l’époque, première et unique architecture muséale de ce type construite à La Réunion. Une salle d'exposition temporaire En 1965, les vieilles dépendances du XIXe siècle dans la vaste cour arrière du musée servent toujours de réserves, de bureaux ou encore de logement pour le gardien. Le Conseil général vote de nouveaux crédits pour la construction de réserves plus grandes, d’un atelier, et de logements de fonction pour le gardien et le conservateur. C’est aussi l’occasion de créer une grande salle pour les expositions temporaires, une des plus vastes qui existent alors dans l’île. Hébrard et Abadie dessinent les plans de ces nouvelles extensions. Dans sa configuration actuelle le musée est inauguré par le ministre et Député de La Réunion, Michel Debré, le 10 Septembre 1970. Page | 5 Les salles d’exposition Le musée dispose de trois espaces d’exposition : Les salles des expositions permanentes réparties en cinq zones dans lesquelles les oeuvres sont présentées chronologiquement et thématiquement. Un cabinet des estampes dans lequel sont exposées en alternance les collections d’oeuvres sur papier (gravures, dessins, lithographies, …). Les expositions (trois à quatre par an) durent quatre mois pour ne pas altérer les papiers très sensibles à la lumière. Une salle destinée aux expositions temporaires (deux par an). Ces dernières approfondissent l’un des thèmes des collections historiques ou accueillent des propositions d’artistes contemporains. Page | 6 Histoire des collections du musée Les collections initiales du musée Dès sa constitution, le musée possède un fonds de peintures ou de dessins d’artistes vivants dont certains font partie de l’avant-garde artistique des premières années du XXe siècle. Le sculpteur d’origine italienne Rembrandt Bugatti côtoie Antoine Bourdelle du Tarn-et-Garonne. Le peintre Louis Valtat alors en pleine ascension et soutenu par Ambroise Vollard, est exposé aux côtés de tableaux signés Armand Guillaumin ou Charles Lacoste. Les œuvres des artistes français dialoguent avec les Belges Théo van Rysselberghe et Émile Claus, le Norvégien Karl Edvard Diriks, l’Américain Frédérick-Carl Frieseke, le Russe Nicolas Tarkhoff ou encore l’Australien Ruppert Bunny. Très rapidement, le projet connaît aussi un vrai succès à La Réunion où la population locale, en réponse aux dons provenant de Paris, lègue une partie des objets de leur patrimoine: épée, meubles, objets d'arts décoratifs, documents d'archives, portraits de gloires familiales ou littéraires ... autant d’objets évoquant le patrimoine et l’art de vivre créoles mais aussi la nostalgie de la colonie des XVIIIe et XIXe siècle. Les dons faits par les familles réunionnaises permettent aussi de dresser un panorama de la création artistique à La Réunion durant le XIXe siècle. Elles donnent des dessins, des peintures, des estampes dus aux principaux artistes créoles ou aux artistes ayant vécu à La Réunion tels qu'Émile Grimaud, Louis- Antoine Roussin, Adèle Ferrand ou Adolphe Le Roy. Complétant cette première présentation, les Leblond créent une section consacrée à Paul et Virginie , roman à succès international, à l’origine d’une importante production iconographique. Le musée Léon- Dierx est le premier musée français à évoquer cette thématique dans le parcours permanent de ses collections.
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