The Condé museum is housed in the castle of Chantilly, in Oise, 40 km north of Paris.
The estate, partially razed during the Revolution, was rebuilt in the 19th century by Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale (1822-1897), son of King Louis-Philippe. With the exception of the "Petit Château" (16th century), or the stables, in particular, the building was designed to house and showcase the collections (paintings, drawings, old books) of the Duke of Aumale. He bequeathed the property to the Institut de France.
The museum collection is exceptional. As far as paintings are concerned, it is the second largest collection in France after the Louvre Museum for paintings ranging from the 14th to the 19th century. Works by Raphaël, Fra Angelico, Watteau, Nicolas Poussin, Ingres, Delacroix are thus presented in an exceptional setting. photographs. For example, there is a series of portraits drawn from the 16th century by Jean and François Clouet, from the collection of Queen Catherine de Medici. The Italian Renaissance is represented by works by Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. Also worth mentioning is a set of 472 portraits of Carmontelle, familiar to the Duke of Orléans, who sketched the personalities of his time, including Mozart and the scientists of the Enlightenment. Furthermore, the Duc d'Aumale, who distinguished himself during the capture of Abd el-Kader in 1843, had acquired a collection of portraits of French soldiers drawn or collected by Auguste Raffet.
We also note that the founder of the museum was interested in the then nascent art of photography and the collections include a number of photographs by the pioneer of this discipline… Prints by Dürer or Rembrandt are also on offer.
Finally, in terms of furniture, the public can admire exceptional pieces such as a chest of drawers that belonged to Louis XVI or a sofa and chairs from Queen Marie-Antoinette and, in another genre, impressive porcelain collections…
The ensemble (works of art, furniture, decor) is presented as in the 19th century, according to the wishes of the Duke of Aumale.
Conferences, workshops, events are scheduled regularly. The visit to the museum is included in that of the estate (excluding tickets giving access only to the park). Open daily from April to October, closed on Tuesdays the rest of the year and the first three weeks of January. Price: from 13.50 and 17 euros. Information on +33 3 44 27 31 80.
