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Who are we?

The Musée Maillol

The Dina Vierny Foundation – Musée Maillol is recognised as a public institution by the French State, and is a private museum that opened on 20 January 1995 thanks to the enthusiasm and determination of the artist’s muse, Dina Vierny. 

The Musée Maillol is a place steeped in history that today offers around 4,250 m² of floor space and houses the largest collection of works by Maillol in the world, as well as Dina Vierny’s collections of 20th century art.
Dans In order to offer a more coherent visit to the museum, the permanent collection of Aristide Maillol’s works now occupies the second floor, although the circulation areas on the ground and first floors are still lined with the sculptor’s life-size statues. Its role is to conserve, study, exhibit and promote the work of Aristide Maillol in France and throughout the world, through its permanent exhibition, numerous loans to institutions, the acquisition of works, the maintenance of a rich documentation, the publication of art books and the coordination of an association of friends of the museum.
The chronological and thematic tour of the permanent collection is divided into several rooms: early paintings and wood carvings (1880-1900); tapestry (1895-1900); a comparison of bronze, terracotta and plaster statuettes (by subject of study, theme, work on different materials… covering Maillol’s entire career); emblematic life-size sculptures; the cabinet of small drawings; and finally, a double space of works from the 1930s-1940s, with the last paintings on the one hand, and large-format drawings on the other. The museum organises two temporary exhibitions a year, devoted to the art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since it opened to the public, more than 70 temporary exhibitions have been presented, including Poliakoff, Morandi, Klimt, Toulouse Lautrec, Bonnard, Vallotton, Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera, Miro, Bacon, Basquiat, Keith Haring, Raushenberg, Condo, the great Naïve Masters, etc.

Its Founder

Born in southern Russia near Odessa in 1919 during the civil war between the White Army and the Red Army, Dina Vierny arrived in France with her parents in 1926.

From a very young age she had great admiration for her father Jacques Aibinder, a resolutely left-wing social democrat, and inherited his political convictions. In Paris she met many artists and intellectuals; the architect Jean-Claude Dondel, who was close to her parents, introduced her to Maillol. She became his muse, his inspiration and his collaborator for 10 years, until the artist’s death.

 

In 1939, she married Sacha Vierny, future director of photography for Alain Resnais. In 1940, Maillol fled the madness of men and took refuge in Banyuls where he cut himself off from the world. Dina, who was studying, reluctantly left Paris to join Maillol. She will be his only model. She also posed on Maillol’s recommendation for his friends, Bonnard, Matisse and Dufy. Dina is contacted by the Varian Fry Committee. She brought many Jews, anti-fascists, artists and intellectuals across the Spanish border. In 1943, Dina was arrested in Paris by the German police who handed her over to the Gestapo. She spent six months in Fresnes prison. Maillol managed to have her released the same year.
In 1944, Maillol died as a result of a car accident. Dina lost her spiritual father and mentor. Shortly afterwards, she was saddened to learn that her beloved father had died. He was deported to Auschwitz where he was gassed on arrival.
In 1947, on the recommendation of Matisse and Jeanne Bucher, she opened her gallery at 36 rue Jacob in Paris. This small gallery, designed by Auguste Perret, was to become one of the leading centres of modern art in the 20th century.
In 1964, Dina donated 18 sculptures by Maillol to France, which were installed in the Jardin des Tuileries thanks to the excellent relationship she had established with André Malraux.
In 1994, Dina opened the Maillol Museum in Banyuls-sur-Mer with the unfailing support and friendship of the town’s mayor, Jean Rède.

On 20 January 1995, the Maillol Museum was inaugurated in Paris by François Mitterrand. Dina passed away at the dawn of her 90th birthday on 20 January 2009

The Musée Maillol

musee-maillol-exterieur

View of the façade of the Musée Maillol- 61 rue de Grenelle, 75006 Paris
Copyright - Musée Maillol, fondation Dina Vierny

Vector 122

The Musée Maillol

The Dina Vierny Foundation – Musée Maillol is recognised as a public institution by the French State, and is a private museum that opened on 20 January 1995 thanks to the enthusiasm and determination of the artist’s muse, Dina Vierny.

The Musée Maillol is a place steeped in history that today offers around 4,250 m² of floor space and houses the largest collection of works by Maillol in the world, as well as Dina Vierny’s collections of 20th century art.

 

In order to offer a more coherent visit to the museum, the permanent collection of Aristide Maillol’s works now occupies the second floor, although the circulation areas on the ground and first floors are still lined with the sculptor’s life-size statues. Its role is to conserve, study, exhibit and promote the work of Aristide Maillol in France and throughout the world, through its permanent exhibition, numerous loans to institutions, the acquisition of works, the maintenance of a rich documentation, the publication of art books and the coordination of an association of friends of the museum.

 

The chronological and thematic tour of the permanent collection is divided into several rooms: early paintings and wood carvings (1880-1900); tapestry (1895-1900); a comparison of bronze, terracotta and plaster statuettes (by subject of study, theme, work on different materials… covering Maillol’s entire career); emblematic life-size sculptures; the cabinet of small drawings; and finally, a double space of works from the 1930s-1940s, with the last paintings on the one hand, and large-format drawings on the other. The museum organises two temporary exhibitions a year, devoted to the art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since it opened to the public, more than 70 temporary exhibitions have been presented, including Poliakoff, Morandi, Klimt, Toulouse Lautrec, Bonnard, Vallotton, Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera, Miro, Bacon, Basquiat, Keith Haring, Raushenberg, Condo, the great Naïve Masters, etc.

 

Sa fondatrice

Its Founder

Born in southern Russia near Odessa in 1919 during the civil war between the White Army and the Red Army, Dina Vierny arrived in France with her parents in 1926.

From a very young age she had great admiration for her father Jacques Aibinder, a resolutely left-wing social democrat, and inherited his political convictions. In Paris she met many artists and intellectuals; the architect Jean-Claude Dondel, who was close to her parents, introduced her to Maillol. She became his muse, his inspiration and his collaborator for 10 years, until the artist’s death.

 

In 1939, she married Sacha Vierny, future director of photography for Alain Resnais.
In 1940, Maillol fled the madness of men and took refuge in Banyuls where he cut himself off from the world. Dina, who was studying, reluctantly left Paris to join Maillol. She will be his only model. She also posed on Maillol’s recommendation for his friends, Bonnard, Matisse and Dufy. Dina is contacted by the Varian Fry Committee. She brought many Jews, anti-fascists, artists and intellectuals across the Spanish border.
In 1943, Dina was arrested in Paris by the German police who handed her over to the Gestapo. She spent six months in Fresnes prison. Maillol managed to have her released the same year.
In 1944, Maillol died as a result of a car accident. Dina lost her spiritual father and mentor. Shortly afterwards, she was saddened to learn that her beloved father had died. He was deported to Auschwitz where he was gassed on arrival.
In 1947, on the recommendation of Matisse and Jeanne Bucher, she opened her gallery at 36 rue Jacob in Paris. This small gallery, designed by Auguste Perret, was to become one of the leading centres of modern art in the 20th century.
In 1964, Dina donated 18 sculptures by Maillol to France, which were installed in the Jardin des Tuileries thanks to the excellent relationship she had established with André Malraux.
In 1994, Dina opened the Maillol Museum in Banyuls-sur-Mer with the unfailing support and friendship of the town’s mayor, Jean Rède.
On 20 January 1995, the Maillol Museum was inaugurated in Paris by François Mitterrand. Dina passed away at the dawn of her 90th birthday on 20 January 2009

inauguration mitterand

Dina Vierny and François Mitterrand at the inauguration of the Musée Maillol in the salle des grandeurs natures on 20 January 1995

It seemed impossible and I made it possible. Because I wanted it so badly, I wished for it so badly. I fought so hard. For many years! And I finally succeeded.

DINA VIERNY

Its Director

The Dina Vierny Foundation Musée Maillol is directed by Olivier Lorquin

Son of the museum’s founder, Olivier Lorquin was director of the Dina Vierny Gallery from 1982, and in 1995 became Vice-President of the foundation with his brother, Bertrand Lorquin (who died in 2019). Together, they organised the temporary exhibitions that made the museum famous.
 
Since the death of his mother Dina Vierny in 2009, he has been President of the Foundation and is now responsible for the management of the institution. His role is to guarantee the opening of the museum to the public and to participate in the preservation, knowledge and discovery of Maillol’s work, through the Maillol museums in Paris and Banyuls but also through the organisation of exhibitions in national and international institutions.

 
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Musée Maillol, 2021

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Musée Maillol, 2021

Follow us on our social medias

Mentions légales | CGU | Données personnelles | Gestion des cookies

Musée Maillol, 2021

Mentions légales | CGU | Données personnelles | Gestion des cookies

Musée Maillol, 2021

Musée Maillol, 2021