ROGER-QUILLIOT ART MUSEUM

Opened in 1992 and bearing the name of the mayor under whose authority its creation was decided, the Roger-Quilliot Art Museum is housed in the 17th and 18th century buildings of a former Ursuline convent located against the ramparts of the historic centre of Montferrand. It became a major seminary in the 19th century, then a military hospital and barracks in the 20th century, and was finally acquired by the city of Clermont-Ferrand. It is to the architects Adrien Fainsilber (Cité des Sciences and La Villette in Paris, Museum of Contemporary Art in Strasbourg) and Claude Gaillard that we owe the transformation of the site. They have endeavoured to enhance the old parts of the site while adding contemporary touches. For example, the reception atrium was created in an interior courtyard that was covered by a large glass roof with an inverted umbrella. From there, ramps lead to the exhibition spaces. Organised on six levels around the atrium, the collections of paintings, sculptures, decorative objects, drawings and photographs are displayed in a chronological sequence, with pieces dating from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Medieval period. The rooms devoted to the medieval period show pieces of Auvergne and Limousin origin such as Roman capitals, polychrome wooden virgins, enamels, goldsmiths' creations, or an exceptional painting on wood, the Ennezat Frieze (13th century).

Renaissance. In the Renaissance period, several paintings by Gillis Van Valkenborsch (The Feast of Balthazar), the master of the Prodigal Son (The Parable of the Feast)... The masterpiece of this section is the triptych of The Passion of Christ attributed to the master of Engelbretz. The painting becomes monumental when we reach the 17th century. Here, twelve works on the theme of "Roland furious", after Ariosto, which adorned the walls of Effiat Castle, follow one another. Other paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries catch the eye, including those by Philippe de Champaigne (Portrait of the poet Vincent Voiture, Angel of the Annunciation), Simon Vouet, Jacques Blanchard, Jean Daret, David Ryckaerts III (Ronde des farfadets), François Boucher (Les Lavandières), Augustin Pajou (series of the Great Men of France, including Blaise Pascal from Clermont-Ferrand), François Callet (Portrait of Louis XVI), Il Sassoferrato (Virgin of Sorrow), Joseph Duplessis, François Puget, Hyacinthe Rigaud, Donato Créti, Evariste Fragonard (Don Juan, Zerlina and Donna Elvira), Joseph Vernet..

19th and early 20th century. All the artistic trends of French painting in the 19th and early 20th centuries are then presented with paintings by Prosper Marilhat, Jean Desbrosses, Théodore Regnault (The Death of General Desaix), Eugène Deveria, Théodore Chassériau (The Defence of Gaul)..

Impressionism is notably represented through works painted in Auvergne by Armand Guillaumin, Albert Lebourg, Abbé Boudal or Victor Charreton. Sculptures are displayed alongside these paintings. Here again, the variety of styles is evident: Jacques Chinard (General Desaix dying) is not far from Camille Claudel (Portrait of Louise). You can also see a plaster cast by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi who prefigured the monumental equestrian statue Vercingétorix victorious which is on the Place de Jaude in Clermont-Ferrand.

The art of the 20th century can be discovered under a rotunda located off the course. The first level is dedicated to the Simone and Maurice Combe collection, collectors of figurative works, while a second level is devoted to photography and graphic arts. In this part of the museum, creations by Bernard Buffet, Eugène Carrière, François Desnoyer, etc. are kept

The contemporary photographic collection is also on display, including works by Édouard Pignon and Nils Udo, which reflect on the landscape and the environment.

We should also mention the thematic approaches: a room in the museum is dedicated to Blaise Pascal. You can discover the life, philosophical and literary work and posterity of this illustrious Clermont-Ferrand native through the arts. There is also a thematic display entitled "The artist and his muses" which brings together works from the 18th to the 20th century. Sculptures (Berthoud, Fayard...), paintings or lithographs evoke the fields of philosophy, epic, poetry, music and theatre.

Finally, you should know that the museum regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, among others on the regional heritage and thematic visits.

Visits for children: games are organised to accompany the visit of children from the age of 4 (Tribe tour). A special area is dedicated to them, the "MARQ, mode d'emploi": a wall of expression, giant colouring, manipulations, art albums and magazines for all ages, and videos allow children (and their parents!) to learn about art history. For teenagers, the museum has also published the journal MUSEO to discover the museum in comics. For families, on the first Wednesday of the month, the mediators offer a guided tour through a pictorial genre, followed by a workshop and a snack; during the school holidays, discovery and artistic practice workshops are available for children aged 3 to 11.