And why not going over and updating the other fine museum of my capital city of Vannes! This is in old town across the street from the St Peter’s Cathedral (see post) , and the area as well as the museum is pretty nice indeed. Therefore, without delay let me tell you a bit more on the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Vannes or Fine Arts Museum of Vannes in the Le Cohue!
Vannes is a small capital city of the beautiful dept 56 Morbihan in my lovely Bretagne, and in my belle France . For a small capital city it has a lot of punch; starting that its medieval old town center is intact with wooden houses from the 14C, no fires, bombings to report here all naturally beautiful. I believe that I should tell you more about the Fine Arts Museum of Vannes, oh yes we call the La Cohue…!The Fine Arts Museum (beaux-arts) of Vannes known as La Cohue is located at Place St Pierre (see pic above) and also a back entrance on lovely rue des Halles (see pic below). The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Vannes or Museum of Fine Arts of Vannes or aka La Cohue was created in 1982, is one of the museums of the city of Vannes.
A bit of history I like
Since the Middle Ages, La Cohue, a word of Breton origin meaning Halles or market used in the middle ages to designate market places in cities, belongs to the Duke of Brittany. Its oldest part dates back to the 13C and the building was enlarged in the 14C and again in the 17C. Located in the heart of the old town facing the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre , the place has two uses: A ground floor (1st US) houses the rooms and many stalls; upstairs 1st or 2nd US, sits the Ducal Justice Palace, until 1796. From 1675, the Parliament of Brittany exiled to Vannes held meetings here. La Cohue, welcomes the States of Brittany ten times from 1431 to 1703. La Cohue, which became the property of the city of Vannes in 1813, was transformed into a theater that was active until the 1950’s. The old building was restored from 1970, before collecting the collections of paintings and engravings from the city and presenting large exhibitions from 1982,its opening to the public.
A bit of description of La Cohue Museum of Fine Arts of Vannes :
On the first floor (2nd US), you will see today a collection of works representative of the abstraction of the 1950’s to the present day. Also devoted to the presentation of the works of Geneviève Asse, a Breton painter of international renown, native of Vannes , which allows the visitor to discover the important donation made by the artist to the Museum. Since 2013, a permanent space is devoted to the work of this native artist of Vannes in the upper room of the Museum. The permanent space also gives a beautiful space to the works of the late 19C and the beginning of the 20C. You will find here as well a collection of polychrome wood sculptures from the 14C and 16C. Set of 18C goldsmith’s pieces, furniture and decorative art objects, and 19-20C prints collection.
The main work that I saw were of Eugène Delacroix “ Christ on the Cross “also “Christ between the two thieves or the Crucifixion “, 1835. And, Claude Monet “ Rain in Belle-Ile”. You will see as well a rich Breton panorama of romantic landscapes and contemporary compositions. Other works includes, a collection of polychrome wooden sculptures from the 14C and 16C. Set of 18C goldsmiths ‘ pieces, furniture and decorative art objects. As well as 19-20C prints.
Since 1982, the ground floor (1st US) of 700 m2 receives the works of temporary exhibitions the opportunity to explore the different facets of contemporary plastic creation. La Cohue , Museum of Fine Arts affirms an identity strongly rooted in contemporary artistic expression. For just over thirty years, temporary exhibitions have been an opportunity to explore the different facets of living plastic creation. More space is now reserved for temporary exhibitions including the permanent collections of modern and contemporary art of the Fine Arts Museum of Vannes, enriched by the important deposit of the Centre Georges-Pompidou-Musée National d’Art Moderne of Paris and several paintings of private collectors, offering visitors a rich panorama of the painting of the second half of the 20C. Nice indeed!
The city of Vannes on the museum: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesloisirs/musees/musee-des-beaux-arts-la-cohue/
The friends of the fine arts museum webpage: http://amis-museedevannes.fr/informations-pratiques/
There you go folks, another nice gem in my backyard that I am sure will be a pleasure for all to see, and be surprise of the beauty of museums we have outside of Paris. The Fine Arts Museum (Beaux-Arts) or La Cohue is worth the detour. Hope you enjoy the post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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