Musée Angladon

The museum's origins trace to Jacques Doucet, who founded one of Paris's first haute-couture houses on the rue de la Paix, operating from 1895 to 1927. His wealth allowed him to amass varied art collections and act as a patron to writers like Louis Aragon, André Breton, and Blaise Cendrars, also donating two major libraries to the Université de Paris. Upon Doucet's death in 1929, his collection passed to his wife and sister. In the 1930s, some works were sold and others donated to the French state. In 1958, Doucet's widow designated Jean Dubrujeaud as her heir, who then left the fortune and remaining collection to his son, the painter and engraver Jean Angladon-Dubrujeaud. Jean and his wife, artist Paulette Martin, continued curating the holdings, donating some pieces to institutions like the Louvre while acquiring new works, including medieval and Renaissance art from 1968 onward. Childless, the couple bequeathed the collection and their home to the Fondation de France, leading to the creation of the Fondation Angladon-Dubrujeaud in 1993. After museological renovations, the museum opened to the public on November 15, 1996. In recent years, the foundation has faced severe financial difficulties, reporting an annual operating deficit of 400,000 euros, which has raised the possibility of selling major works to ensure the museum's survival.

The museum is housed in the hôtel de Massilian, a former hôtel particulier named after the family that occupied it in the 18th century. The structure was built in 1694 to designs by the architect Jean Péru. Notably, the Abbé Massilian, a historian of Avignon and provost-coadjutor of the church of Saint-Didier, was born in the building on April 11, 1721. Jean and Paulette Angladon-Dubrujeaud acquired the property and lived there until their deaths in 1979 and 1988, respectively. They bequeathed the building to the Fondation Angladon-Dubrujeaud alongside the art collection. The architecture retains historic features, including a period staircase and original decorative elements in the first-floor salons.

The Musée Angladon is located at 5 rue Laboureur in the historic center of Avignon, France. It is owned and operated by the Fondation Angladon-Dubrujeaud, which was established to fulfill the founders' wish to preserve the collection for the public. In addition to its permanent displays, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions and organizes lectures focused on art, particularly printmaking and book illustration. The institution's continued operation is currently threatened by significant financial deficits, prompting discussions about the potential sale of key works to secure its future.