Musée d'Ennery

The Musée d'Ennery is a national museum of Asian art located at 59, avenue Foch in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. Founded as a private collection in the second half of the 19th century by Clémence d'Ennery, it was inaugurated as a public museum in 1908 and now operates as an annex of the Musée Guimet. The museum preserves nearly 7,000 objects illustrating daily life in China and Japan from the 12th to 19th centuries, displayed in their original Second Empire setting with remarkable mother-of-pearl inlaid cabinets. It holds particular significance as one of the earliest collections formed by a woman collector and as a rare surviving example of a 19th-century Parisian private museum dedicated to Asian art, reflecting the Japonisme and Orientalist passions that profoundly influenced Western taste during and after the Second Empire.

The collection originated in 1859 when Joséphine-Clémence Lecarpentier, later known as Clémence d'Ennery, began assembling objects from a family foundation of lacquer boxes and blue-and-white porcelains. After separating from her first husband, she transferred the collection to a new mansion, the 'villa Desgranges,' on the avenue du Bois (now avenue Foch), constructed from 1875 by architect Pierre-Joseph Olive. In 1881 she married the prolific playwright and novelist Adolphe Philippe d'Ennery (1811-1899). From 1892, the d'Ennerys worked to transform their home into a public museum, assisted by Georges Clemenceau, a friend of the couple and fellow enthusiast of Japanese art, and Émile Deshayes, curator of the Guimet Museum. Clémence d'Ennery donated the house and collection to the state in 1903, with the condition that the works remain on their original site. Legal complications arising from a contested will delayed the inauguration until 27 May 1908. Paul Pelliot served as chief curator from 1930 until his death in 1945, followed by George Cœdès from January 1947 until his death in October 1969. From 1953 to 1996, the ground floor housed the Musée Arménien de France. The museum closed for sixteen years of restoration from 1996 to 5 April 2012, then closed again for three years, reopening in early 2023. It received official Monument historique status, including its display cabinets, by decree of 11 July 1979, and holds the label Musée de France.

The Musée d'Ennery contains approximately 7,000 objects, predominantly of Chinese and Japanese origin, with some Vietnamese pieces. The collection was assembled through purchases from prominent Parisian antique dealers including Bing, Burty, and Sichel, as well as from Au Bon Marché department store and smaller boutiques. It spans the period from the 12th to the 19th centuries, though some sources specify a concentration on the 17th to 19th centuries. The holdings reflect Clémence d'Ennery's personal preferences: she favored sculpture, fantastical iconography, and color over bronzes and prints. The collection offers insight into daily life in East Asia, with particular strengths in decorative arts, ceramics, carved objects, and items associated with personal adornment and domestic use. Many works are presented in their original display context within large wooden cabinets inlaid with mother-of-pearl, designed by the sculptor and cabinetmaker Gabriel Viardot (1830-1906), whom Clémence d'Ennery helped launch and who also worked for Clemenceau. Some decorative panels were likely acquired at universal exhibitions, while other Vietnamese imports were integrated into Viardot's architectural fittings.

Among the museum's signature works are a rare group of Namban-style lacquered chests and cabinets dating from the 1580s, 1590s, reflecting the period of Portuguese-Japanese contact. The collection includes over 300 netsuke from the Tokugawa period (1603-1837), with approximately 1,500 hardstone figurines in total. Kyoto ceramics from the 18th century represent another significant holding. The museum possesses Kakiemon-style enameled porcelains, including dolls, and various objects from the East India companies. Notable categories include animal and chimera masks, ivory and bronze carvings, furniture, and lacquerwork. The Portuguese-Japanese Nanban Art of 1543-1640 constitutes a particular specialty, documenting the cultural exchange between Japan and Portugal. The fantastical and sculptural qualities of these objects align with the founder's stated aesthetic priorities.

The museum occupies a mansion in the Second Empire style at 59, avenue Foch in Paris's 16th arrondissement, constructed beginning in 1875. The building was commissioned by Clémence d'Ennery and designed by architect Pierre-Joseph Olive. Its interior is distinguished by the original display cabinets created by Gabriel Viardot, featuring walls inlaid with mother-of-pearl. These cabinets were specifically protected when the building received Monument historique designation on 11 July 1979. The house and its fittings preserve the atmosphere of a 19th-century private collection, offering visitors an experience distinct from conventional museum presentations. The building's historical significance lies in this intact integration of architecture, display furniture, and collection. The site required 15 million euros of restoration work to meet modern standards while preserving its historic character.

The Musée d'Ennery is located at 59, avenue Foch, Paris 16e, with the nearest métro station at Victor Hugo. It operates under the auspices of the Musée Guimet as a national museum. Following its most recent reopening in early 2023 after a three-year closure, the museum is accessible by reservation only, with only part of the spaces open to the public due to ongoing restoration needs. Visitors may book lecture tours conducted in French on Saturdays by appointment. The museum website is maintained through the Guimet Museum's official site at https://www.guimet.fr/musee-dennery/. Its restricted access reflects both the fragility of the historic interiors and the substantial investment required to fully restore the building to complete public use.