Musée des Beaux-Arts

Like most of France's museums, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rennes dates from the Revolution. Founded in 1794 with works confiscated from the town's religious and civil buildings, the museum nonetheless owes the bulk of its collections to the magnificent "cabinet of curiosities" of Christophe-Paul de Robien (1698-1756), President of the Breton Parliament.

From La Femme entre les deux âges (16th century) by Saint-Luc de Heemskerck to contemporary art, the museum also houses an Egyptian archaeological collection (bronzes, ceramics, etc.), an exceptional collection of drawings, and a collection of engravings. The contemporary art collection focuses on two main areas: artists with Breton roots, such as the Affichistes, and the various currents in abstract art from Sam Francis to Aurélie Nemours.