Agen museum is home to art and artifacts

Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen is situated in the heart
of Agen, the préfecture of the Lot-et-Garonne.

Thousands of pieces — from archaeological artifacts to art — are housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Agen (musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen). The museum was founded by Agen scholars and amateur collectors in 1876. We’ve been to the Lot-et-Garonne’s préfecture city many times on business or to shop, but we only recently manage to make our first visit to the museum.

Comprised of four Renaissance townhouses, the interior of
musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen is a special setting for the art it contains.

The museum’s collection is housed in four Renaissance townhouses mostly dating from the 16th century: Hôtel d’Estrades, Hôtel de Vaurs, Hôtel Vergès, and Hôtel Monluc. The houses were built at the edge of Agen’s old city wall. The museum entrance is on Place D’Esquirol.

Marble staircases and hallways link the Renaissance
townhouses that comprise musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

Through the centuries, the townhouses have been altered and restored, so only part of the original features are visible. However, it’s clear as we wind our way through hallways and up and down stairs, that we are inside a special part of Agen’s history.

A sarcophagus is on display at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

Our visit starts with Romanesque and Gothic pieces from the Middle Ages, including a funerary monument, sculptures and a Gobelins tapestry from the 17th century.

Vierge de Pietie from the 15th century is on display at
musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

In the basement, we explore archaeological artifacts and a room dedicated to mineralogy. These dark caves were once prisons.

Ancient artifacts from the area are on display at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

A room at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen is dedicated to
mineral treasures from around the world.

The caves beneath musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen were prisons
between 1765 and 1861.

We head up to the first floor where the museum’s collection of paintings, sculptures and furniture is housed. The styles are broad: Flemish, Dutch, Italian and French (naturellement!). Of special pride to the museum are five works by the Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1746-1828). The museum is one of only a few French museums to display Spanish paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Allegresse by Marmande painter Abel-Dominique Boyé (1864-1934)
is on display at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

An unknown 19th-century artist painted this view of Agen from
the stone bridge, on display at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

Among the art are pieces of rare furniture and decorative objects including ceramics and earthenware.

Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen contains an impressive collection of
 ceramics and decorative objects.

Visitors to musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen can peek inside an antique piano.

Hospital artifacts are displayed at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

If visitors to musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen ignore the signs asking them
to not sit on the antique chairs, then this prickly plant may make the point.

Contemporary art is not ignored here. A generous amount of space is allocated to modern French artists with entire rooms dedicated to Agen-born François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008), and Villeréal-born Roger Bissière (1886-1964).

A sculpture by François-Xavier Lalanne (1927-2008) is on display
in a room dedicated to him at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

A sculpture by Jean-Didier Debut (1824-1893) is on display
at musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen.

Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Agen is open all-year round; closed on Tuesdays and holidays. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed for lunch between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.). Regular admission is 5.60 €, children are free.