It is in 1691 that is created in Bordeaux a Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, modeled on that established in Paris in 1648 and which Le Brun, first painter to Louis XIV fix later standards. Though qu'orientée to pedagogy rather than the creation of collections, this academy brand was created by the beginnings of a formal art education at Bordeaux. Quinze painters and sculptors were when teachers had to cease operations in 1709. Nevertheless, the desire to ensure continuity in the teaching of fine arts will continue despite various obstacles, including the removal of the royal academies occurred in 1793, at the instigation of David.
In the 18th century, the word "museum" is not exactly the meaning we give today. Collections are conceived so closely with the teaching of the arts, in which they play a role, and the museum looks like a meeting of institutions vocations both artistic and literary or scientific. It is in this form that the architect Jacques Gastambide considering the museum project in Bordeaux in 1787, which will also no tomorrow: nine buildings dedicated to the Muses are not deployed on the outskirts of a temple of Apollo.
However, it was the revolutionary work, and its continuation under the Consulate, truly born for the first public collections Bordeaux. August 31, 1801, Bonaparte created in effect in fifteen provincial cities deposits tables, spreading throughout France a collection of works of art that came from both the old collections of the king or of emigrants as taking war made abroad, especially in Italy.
shipments resulting from this decision will be the first museum collection and already included some prestigious works on which his fame will rest later: "The Virgin between St. Jerome and St. Augustine" attributed to Perugino, "Tarquin and Lucretia" and "La Madeleine" Titian's "Portrait of Marie de Medici" by van Dyck, "The Martyrdom of St. George" by Rubens, as well as "The Virgin and Child" by Stone Cortona.
these paintings were submitted to the Academy of Sciences and Belles Lettres which then included a drawing school, a library, an observatory, and a cabinet of antique cabinet of natural history.
From 1811, the painter Pierre Lacour Bordeaux (1745-1814) was appointed director of the art school and museum curator. He allowed such openness to the public gallery. At his death in 1814, his son's name was also Peter, succeeded him. Face considerable development of collections, Lacour son (1778-1859), for the sake of clarity, in turn wrote the first two catalogs in 1821 and 1855.
Soon, the room housing the art gallery proved too small and that it was transferred in 1821, and the art school in the north wing of the Palais Rohan, provided for this purpose by Michel Jules Bonfin (1768-1841). The museum experienced a period of enrichment largely due to purchases of the state or municipality and bequests from private collections.
But on the night of December 7, 1870, a fire caused the disappearance of sixteen paintings and destruction the upper part of hunting lions Delacroix. This incident precipitated the construction of a suitable area. Thus, two perpendicular wings at the hotel Rohan were built from 1875 to 1881 on the plans of the architect Charles Burguet.
Since 1950, the acquisition of numerous major works of modern art and an ambitious program of temporary exhibitions have continued to affirm the international reputation of the museum, which houses one of the top ten collections of French painting.
Early 2010 saw the launch of a series of renovations of buildings that house the museum, starting with the repair of the roof of the north wing.
collections are revisited giving rise to a new attachment. May 15, 2010, works most prestigious museum are presented in the south wing, giving a chronological overview of the overall wealth of the museum. In June 2011, begin major renovations inside and upgrading to accommodate disabled audiences and to expose more of works.
