Jacquemart-Andre Museum
 Musée_Jacquemart_André_2007_-_Recoura_n1 by Christophe Recoura/wiki commons
It was a love for the ages when Edouard André and his wife Nélie Jacquemart began collecting works of art by Italian masters. Their love affair with Italian art led to the largest collection of Italian art pieces in France.
Edouard, born to a wealthy banking family, had a natural gravitation toward beauty, so when French artist Nélie Jacquemart painted his portrait, he eventually married her. Sharing an enthusiasm for artistry, the love birds hired renowned architect Henri Parent to design an exquisite mansion for them to nest in. With its grand spiral staircase and gorgeous Winter Garden, the house showcases some of the pinnacles of fine architecture. The lovers flew from their nest every year to visit the enchanting land of Italy, where works by Donatello, Luca Della Robbia, and other greats were transported back to France to be put on display in the lovely mansion. A collection fitting for a museum was soon amassed, so the young couple opened the house to the public for viewings. When their bodies left this world and their love was carried over into death, Edouard and Nélie donated the house to Institut de France as a museum for the ages. |
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