|  | Lausanne’s Cantonal Museum of Fine Art is the second oldest museum in Switzerland, after Geneva and before Bern and Zurich, that is devoted exclusively to art. The commitment of the patronsIn 1841, on Place de la Riponne, Lausanne opened a building that was both an art museum and a drawing school, bearing the name of the painter Marc-Louis Arlaud, its founder and patron, with the help of the city and the canton. Very quickly outgrowing its space, it once again benefited from the generosity of private parties to expand in 1906 into the nearby neo-Florentine building at the foot of the City’s hill. Gabriel de Rumine – whose name it bears – had made an offer to the State to build a cultural and knowledge centre taking in several museums (art, history and science), the university and its library. Awaiting Hall of locomotives
Long focused on Vaud and Romand art, with the occasional European art through the intervention of people from Vaud living outside the canton, like Vallotton, or donations like the prestigious bequest from Dr. Widmer (Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir, Bonard, Vuillard, etc.), the museum opened up to international art in the 1960s under the direction of René Berger with two events that were particularly significant far and wide: the 3 pilot gallery rooms shows and the 16 international biennial tapestry festivals. Since the summer of 2007, with Bernard Fibicher now at the helm, it intends more than ever to develop its most specific and interesting collections – A.-L. Ducros, Ch. Gleyre, F. Vallotton, R. Auberjonois, L. Soutter and a large set of contemporary drawings – with comparisons, reflections, original thought and a look at the art of yesterday and today. |
