Du peintre à l’architecte. La mise en exposition des Nymphéas de Monet à l’Orangerie des Tuileries

Abstract

Claude Monet’s Nymphéas (waterlilies) are famous both in Paris and internationally, an original form of artistic creation. Painted in the secret of his studio at Giverny, the paintings entered their public life after the artist donated them to the nation. Monet’s friend Clemenceau played an important part in this donation which took place at end of the First World War. A long period of negotiation then began between Monet, who intended to enforce his will concerning the paintings, and various other actors associated with the donation. The question of how the works could be displayed was at the heart of these discussions, which lasted more than ten years. Indeed, the display is part of the art work and part of Monet’s artistic gesture. The painter became the scenographer of his own paintings. The issue of this present article is to understand how far Monet’s new function influenced his relationship with the various actors in the project. We will draw attention to the role of the two architects, Louis Bonnier and Camille Lefèvre, who proposed a series of plans for the ways to exhibit the works. We also consider the influence of this new role on the singularity of this art installation which establishes news relations between space, the public and the paintings.

Keywords

• Claude Monet
• Georges Clemenceau
• Paul Leon
• Louis Bonnier
• Camille Lefevre
• Orangerie of the Tuileries