The Calvet Foundation has launched its new website where she unfolds all her treasures. First there is the Calvet Museumthen the Lapidary museumTHE libraries of the Calvet foundation, the Requien Museumthe Requien librarythe Museum of Small palacethe Medalist Calvetso much for Avignon and, finally, the archaeological museum of the Hotel Dieu and the museum Jouve and Jewish Comtadin in Cavaillon.
And, in the hollow of these temples of knowledge, extraordinary works, such as, under painting, the portrait of Louis XIV (1638-1715) in armor by Nicolas Mignard and which the king would have acclaimed, ordering the painter in Versailles for new orders. Less academic and totally incredible, we will fall under the spell of the Idiot of Chaim Soutine (1893-1943) which testifies to the talent that is both expressionist and close to Fauvism, revealing the inner demons of the great Russian artist, whose friendship with Modigliani is remembered.
In terms of archeology,
there is the Tarasque de Noves half-wolf, half-lion, ithyphallic, who engulfed a human body. In reality, a Gallic funerary sculpture discovered more than 2.5 m deep behind the church of Noves and dating between 50 BC and the 1st century. It symbolizes the rite of passage between life that is ending and renewal. And if you wanted to rediscover the Place Pie market painted by Pierre Grivolas in 1868, by the man who was a pupil of Ingres and Delacroix, you will have to go there, with happiness. These works have been offered, bought or bequeathed while the circle of 8 – testamentary executors and administrators – have supported and nourished for more than 200 years, the collections of Esprit Calvet, an extraordinary man who wanted the ‘common’ to be able to access knowledge and aesthetics.
How can we do so that our heritage,
his collections, the research of a lifetime do not disappear with him? How was Esprit Calvet able to seize this fault of eternity in order to exist several centuries after his body had dissolved into infinity?
The Avignonnais Spirit Calvet (1728-1810),
rich doctor, physiocrat (economist), archaeologist and naturalist, collector of works of art and books, while considering the question, remains this free man who continues to make his soul beat at the mercy of the eponymous foundation on the lands of his life, and in that, it is already prodigious.
Calvet spirit
As for the solution?
It will be found a little over a year after his death by a certain Napoleon 1st who will allow him to ensure that the legacy can be accepted by the mayor of Avignon for the benefit of his constituents. Objective ? Give access to its library and its collections to the inhabitants of Avignon and its surroundings. In this, Esprit Calvet finds the post-mortem means of creating the first museum in France!
For what ?
Initially, this man – he was barely 15 when he was convinced of this – became aware that what ‘his homeland’ lacked most – meaning Avignon and its surroundings – was a library. At this same age, in addition to books, he began several collections including one of old pieces, and some in gold. As he felt the twilight of his life dawning, he was 82 years old, his library comprised 1,400 volumes, a natural history collection, an antiques cabinet, 12,000 old items and a large estate.
The Calvet Foundation
“His cabinet of curiosities and his library will be the basis of his donation for the creation of the Calvet Museum, which was to allow the public to access the Enlightenment, indicates the Calvet Foundation. In his will of 1810, he organized this access to knowledge by attaching his real estate to it to ensure its future management and by appointing three testamentary executors – appointed for life – and 5 administrators appointed for 10 years, by the Municipal Council of ‘Avignon and responsible for enforcing his wishes until now.
The Board of Directors of the Calvet Foundation
is composed of Cécile Helle, president; Bernard Gamel-Cazalis, Vice-Chairman –chosen for 5 years by the Board of Directors- and executor; Bertrand Lapeyre and Philippe de Cours de Saint-Gervasy also executors for life and by cooptation; Jean-Louis Cros, Marianne Robert, Marie-Christine Liénard, Danielle Blanc and Pierre Provoyeur, administrators, chosen by the Municipal Council of Avignon.
Among the heritage of the Calvet Foundation
The heritage of the Calvet Foundation is shared between Avignon and Cavaillon with groups classified as historic monuments or of heritage interest. Among the considerable real estate of this extraordinary foundation in Avignon, Carpentras and Cavaillon, there are: the Hotel Forbin la Barben said Hotel Puech in Avignon; The Saint-Nicolas college in Annecy and the Notre Dame de Fours chapel in Avignon; In Cavaillon, it will be the Chapel of the Hôtel Dieu, the Jouve islet, the Dominican convent, the Mikvé –which are the ritual Jewish baths-…
To know everything: access the booklet here.
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