Juramusées
Around fifty sites and museums are part of Juramusées, including the Toy Museum in Moirans-en-Montagne, the Abbey Museum in Saint-Claude, Louis Pasteur's house in Arbois, the House of the Laughing Cow in Lons-le-Saunier... This network is managed by the departmental council, and groups together four themes that allow tourists and Jurassiens to discover the department in a different way. You can take the paths of trades and men, fine arts, historical heritage, dinosaurs or landscapes. The Juramusées Pass offers a reduced rate on the second visit to one of the sites in the network. It can be found in all tourist offices and in the sites of the network. Download the Juramusées Pass free of charge from www. juramusees.fr. You will pay the normal rate for your first visit, but subsequent visits will be at the Pass rate and the fifth visit is free.
Abbey Museum: Guy Bardone - René Genis donations
The Abbey Museum: Guy Bardone - René Genis donations is a high cultural place labeled Museum of France, in the heart of Saint-Claude next to the cathedral. It celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018 with a new scenography that highlights the two artists and donors of the museum's collection: Guy Bardone, a local child, and René Genis. Housed in the former abbey palace of the 15th-18th centuries, the museum's collection presents several generations of artists of the School of Paris around a set of works by Bonnard, Vuillard, Vallotton, Dufy. The interior architecture offers large, open and very bright spaces; the basement houses the most important archaeological remains of the abbey of Saint-Claude known to date in this renovated building. The dynamics of this cultural centre, which is open to the greatest number of people and to all generations, is enhanced by temporary exhibitions of contemporary and modern art, workshops, concerts, visits and, recently, by the opening of digital playgrounds. A place not to be missed.
Courbet in Ornans
Gustave Courbet was born in Ornans and it is difficult to ignore this information when visiting the town! A visit to the museum shows the extent of the link between the artist and his home town and vice versa. The painter's work shows scenes of everyday life in Ornans and the surrounding area: a funeral, life in the countryside, a meal... Thanks to his paintings (more or less known) and letters written to his parents and friends, we discover or rediscover the biography of this artist committed to his work as well as to his life. We are transported from Ornans to the Parisian salons where the painter was received, and then we arrive at the Paris Commune. It is common to be moved in front of Le Chêne de Flagey, bought by the Department for the museum thanks to the contribution of many donors from the region, the Doubs Departmental Council and private funds. The museum, completely renovated in 2011, superbly showcases its illustrious inhabitant in a sublimated house, and through more than 50 works. However, there is still some doubt as to the exact place of birth of the painter. Visit to be completed with the Courbet Farm in Flagey.
Other major Franc-Comtois figures
Gaspard Griesly (1712-1756). Self-taught from a family of Swiss glassmakers, he is best known for his trompe l'oeil works, as well as his still lifes.
Robert Fernier (1895-1977). Born in Pontarlier, he is an admirable painter of the rural heritage of the Comtois. We appreciate his snowy landscapes, as well as his scenes of the customs of the Haut-Doubs plateaus where he spent most of his youth. His travels led him to paint superb scenes and landscapes of Madagascar and Tahiti.
Jean-Joseph Perraud (1818-1876). Sculptor born in Monay in the Jura. He made his debut with religious sculptures in wood. He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon. In 1847, he was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome. His work was very extensive, and many statues and busts came from his hands. The Museum of Lons-le-Saunier contains a very large part of his work.
Max Claudet (1840-1893). Sculptor born in Fécamp, he came to Salins-les-Bains in 1842. He worked a lot with J.-J. Perraud who became his friend. He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon. In addition to his sculptures, he produced a large number of ceramics in the round, depicting scenes from the popular life of his time, or more classical pieces of ancient or mythological scenes. He was a friend of Gustave Courbet.
Auguste Emmanuel Pointelin (1839-1933). Painter born in Arbois, he was supported by his friend Jules Grévy, president of the Republic. He was very attached to his Jura land, but his spiritual path was transcribed in his paintings with notably landscapes inciting to meditation. His work can be disconcerting but remains very interesting. His paintings can be found in museums in the region.
Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904). French painter and sculptor, born in Vesoul. Known for his orientalist scenes, he painted mythological, religious and historical subjects. His sculptures are allegorical, genre scenes or characters. He was considered the most famous of his time, with a very academic painting of the Second Empire. His hostility to the avant-gardists, especially the impressionists, made him fall into oblivion. The museum of Vesoul preserves many of his works.
