Musée Paul Dupuy (Paul Dupuy Museum), Toulouse

Paul Dupuy Museum (Musée Paul Dupuy) in Toulouse is a city-owned museum uniquely situated between the Saint-Étienne and Parliament districts. Housed in the historic Pierre Besson hotel, acquired and significantly renovated by Paul Dupuy in 1909, the museum showcases a diverse range of art objects and graphic arts spanning from the Middle Ages to the year 1939.

Originally established as a private museum, it transitioned to a municipal institution in 1949 following Paul Dupuy’s bequest of his private collection and the museum building to the city. The museum’s space was further expanded in 1968 with the acquisition and renovation of an additional building d'Aussargues Street, which was completed between 1980 and 1985.

The museum’s collections are rich and varied, consisting of legacies and donations that significantly enrich its offerings. Noteworthy among these are the Édouard Gélis collection, which features a remarkable array of watchmaking items; the Rozès de Brousse collection, which includes drawings, engravings, and posters; and the Regraffé collection by Miribel.

The drawings cabinet, established in 1949, is a significant part of the museum, containing over 6,000 works that include contributions from both local Southern French artists like Dominique Ingres and Raymond Lafage, and renowned Italian artists such as Veronese and Tintoretto, among others. The print cabinet is another highlight, housing around forty thousand postcards, thirty thousand engravings, and five thousand photographs, all meticulously organized by iconographic themes.

An exceptional watchmaking collection forms a major part of the museum’s appeal, predominantly comprising pieces from the 16th to the 19th century donated by Édouard Gélis. This collection includes clocks, watches, and other time-measuring instruments, supplemented by scientific devices like compasses and astrolabes.

Additionally, the museum boasts an impressive array of sculptures from the 11th to the 17th century, centered around the olifant known as the “Cor de Roland” from Saint-Sernin Basilica. There is also an extensive display of historical furniture from notable Toulouse buildings, including items from the Château de Reynerie and the large consistory of the Capitole de Toulouse, as well as an ornate altar facing from the Cordeliers convent dating back to the 16th century.