José Manuel Herrador

The Augustins MuseumMuseum of Fine-Arts

The Augustins museum is one of the oldest in France. It first opened its doors in 1795, shortly after the Louvre in Paris.

In this way the masterpieces of Toulouse were sheltered from the vindictive whims of the revolutionaries.

Fine-Arts were displayed in a Gothic convent from the XIV Century

Housed within the former Augustins Convent after the French Revolution, the museum displays paintings and sculptures from the early Middle Ages up until the start of the XX Century in this prestigious setting, including a collection of Roman capitals and Gothic sculptures.

Don’t miss: the colony of gargoyles that has taken up residence in the cloister!

This fascinating venue combines the beauty of its cloister, the elegance of its church and collections that are unique in Europe. The remarkable room of Roman capitals and its recent installations by Pardo sit alongside Gothic sculptures displaying masterpieces like the capital showing the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist or Notre-Dame-de-Grasse. On the first floor, various rooms present sculptures and schools of European painters from the XVII to the XIX centuries, including some big names like Vigée-Lebrun, Murillo and Delacroix.

Exposition Jorge Pardo et la sculpture romane aux Augustins

Ville de Toulouse - Patrice Nin

Focus on an exceptional collection

The unique ensemble of Roman capitals from the XI and XII centuries preserved by the Augustins Museum is one of the treasures of Toulouse’s heritage.

American artist Jorge Pardo, internationally renowned for his work at the very cutting edge of art, design and architecture, was invited to redesign the scenography of the collection to render it more photogenic.