Atger Museum, Montpellier

The Atger Museum (Musée Atger) is the oldest in Montpellier and is uniquely housed within the historic Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montpellier. The museum's origins date back to the early 19th century, thanks to the generous contributions of Xavier Atger (1758-1833), an avid collector and art enthusiast from Montpellier. Atger's vision for this collection was deeply intertwined with his humanist view of education and medicine, believing that exposure to art, particularly the study of drawing, would enhance the observational skills of medical students.

The museum's collection boasts around 1,000 drawings and some 5,000 prints and engravings, making it one of the most significant graphic art collections in France. The works span several schools of art, including the French, Italian, and Northern European traditions. The French school is the most represented, featuring works by notable artists such as Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Philippe de Champaigne, and Sébastien Bourdon. Highlights include twelve exquisite drawings by Fragonard, as well as pieces by Hubert Robert and Charles Natoire.

The Italian collection, while smaller in number, contains prestigious works by the likes of the Carracci family, Guercino, and Giambattista Tiepolo, whose twenty-six drawings form the most important public collection of his works in France. The Northern European school is also well represented, featuring drawings by Rubens, Van Dyck, and Jordaens, offering a glimpse into the artistic fervor of Flanders and the Netherlands.

In addition to drawings and prints, the museum's holdings include a small but impactful selection of paintings, the most notable being Michel Serre’s vivid depiction of the 1720 Marseille plague. The museum has also expanded its collection over the years through donations, including the addition of 81 contemporary drawings by the Montpellier artist Colette Richarme in 2017.