A few words and pictures to encourage you to visit the superb Fernand Léger museum in Biot, the temporary exhibition "Vis-à-vis, Fernand Léger and his friends", the permanent exhibition, the architecture and the layout of the places not forgetting the very pleasant garden, its refreshment bar with a view of the gigantic outdoor mosaic with bright and refreshing colors.

A garden sheltered by pines

Panoramique au jardin du musée Fernand Léger à BiotExcept one day in very bad weather, the stop in the garden, in the shade of pine trees in front of a drink or even a meal, facing the mosaic adorning the facade of the museum, participates in the pleasure of visiting the place. A kind of appetizer before entering the museum. The park is home to a small pine forest of Mediterranean species, olive trees, cypresses ... The design of the park was entrusted to Henri Fich who also worked at the Chagall Museum in Nice. Anecdotal, but very nice, large "poufs" (sitting made small balls) can comfortably fit for a possible nap. The 400 square meters juxtaposing mosaics and ceramics are, from a drawing by Leger, the work of Heidi and Lino Melano (mosaics) and Roland and Claude Brice (for the ceramic part on the right of the composition and representing scenes games and bicycles).

The first museum of modern art on the French Riviera

photo Fernand LégerOn land acquired a few months before his death in the town of Biot, his widow, Nadia, and his closest collaborator, Georges Bauquier, had the museum built by the architect André Svetchine. The inauguration under the patronage of Picasso, Chagall and Braque brings together more than five thousand guests. In 1969, Andre Malraux, then Minister of Culture, received in the name of the State the donation by the Léger family of the museum and its works.
The museum consists of two floors in a modern style with many skylights both lateral and vertical on the second floor. The ground floor hosts a first and large room at the end of which is the auditorium broadcasting explanatory videos. This room presents to visitors the museum, its history and its construction. Mosaics are offered to the touch of the visitor, who is thus sensorially and digitally active during his visit. A very interesting series of photos retraces the life of the museum, Fernand Léger and his family.

Temporary exhibition "Vis-à-vis" until September 23, 2019

Musee Fernand Léger et ses ami.e.sSpread over the two floors, this is the third and last part of this section highlighting the collaborative work and friendships of the painter but also the reciprocal influences of the work of the artist. This third section explores the themes of human representation and landscapes. You will have the opportunity to admire the paintings of the painter and those of many of his contemporaries such as Picasso, Botero, Delaunay, Braque, Dubuffet, Matisse etc.
A possible guided tour (free on the first Sunday of the month) or otherwise the use of an audiophone will allow you to better understand and identify all these artistic relationships ... The curators of the exhibition are Anne Dopffer and Julie Guttierez.

A bright and modern second floor housing many works by Fernand Léger

Musee Fernand LégerThe first room upstairs offers a very informative chronological fresco contextualizing the life and work of Fernand Léger during the late 19th and early 20th century. A monumental stained glass colors the place. Part of the temporary exhibition occupies a vast room separated by large partitions. Here you will find Eduardo Arroyo's painting of Fernand Léger sitting astride a chair, illustrating the poster for the temporary exhibition.
The more classical works of the permanent exhibition are in the last wing of this floor. Monochrome ceramics, or almost, bring out curves, faces and scenes. While almost naive paintings of all sizes illuminate the places with their bright colors. Leger's colorist talents liven up the visit. Many colors seem to have been drawn just outside the museum: the different shades of green vegetation, the blues of the sky and the sea, the ocher and red of the local architecture not to mention the mimosa yellows and others flowers.
To note the presence of a small space dedicated to the reading of work of art, pleasant and sympathetic.

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Vue de l’exposition « Vis-à-vis. Fernand Léger et ses ami.e.s ». Au premier plan, la sculpture de Robert Julius Jacobsen, Harmonie fidèle, 1957. Fer oxydé forgé © Galerie Lahumière, Paris. Au fond à gauche : Jean Dewasne, La Clé ou l'Architecte, 1959. Peinture laquée sur isorel © Galerie Lahumière, Paris. Au fond à droite : Fernand Léger, Projet pour une peinture murale Vulcania, 1951. Huile sur toile (musée national Fernand Léger, Biot). ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019. Sur le mur de droite : Eduardo Arroyo, Fernand Léger, 2007. Huile sur toile © Adagp, Paris, 2019 / photo Galerie Louis Carré & Cie, Paris.
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Aperçu de l’accrochage des collections permanentes, à l’étage. Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019.
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A l’étage, à voir un magnifique vitrail exécuté par les Ateliers J. Loire et fils (Lèves), 1989-90. D’après un dessin non daté de Fernand Léger, proche d’un projet de vitraux pour le musée de Caracas (Venezuela). Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019.
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Des visiteurs contemplant les collections du musée : à gauche, Fernand Léger, Les Plongeurs polychromes, 1942-1946. Huile sur toile ; à droite, Fernand Léger, Les Loisirs sur fond rouge, 1949. Huile sur toile. Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019.
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Salle du rez-de-chaussée consacrée au 50e anniversaire du musée et à un parcours tactile de découverte de la mosaïque : au mur, à gauche (photographie, légende en attente) ; et Fernand, Léger, Maquette pour un bâtiment du Gaz de France, à Alfortville (non daté). Relief, mosaïque de céramique (musée national Fernand Léger, Biot) ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019.
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Dans le parcours de l’exposition « Vis-à-vis. Fernand Léger et ses ami.e.s » : entre autres, sur le mur de gauche, Marcelle Cahn, Avion - Forme aviatique (détail), 1930. Huile sur toile (musée d'art moderne et contemporain de Saint-Étienne Métropole). Fernand Léger, L’Avion dans le ciel, 1939-1952. Huile sur toile (musée national Fernand Léger, Biot) ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019. A droite : Fernand Léger, Le Grand Remorqueur, 1923. Huile sur toile (musée national Fernand Léger, Biot) ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019. Et Thorwald Hellesen, Peinture 1920, 1920. Huile sur toile (musée d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris).
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Exemple d’un des vis-à-vis de l’exposition : à gauche Fernand Léger, Femmes au perroquet sur fond rouge, 1951. Céramique émaillée (musée national Fernand Léger, Biot) ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019. A droite, Jean Dubuffet, Le Veilleur, 1972. Peinture sur résine stratifiée, structure métallique sur 4 roues (Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Paris) ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019.
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Vue à l’étage de l’exposition « Vis-à-vis. Fernand Léger et ses ami.e.s » : sur le côté gauche, Jean Dubuffet, Le Veilleur, 1972. Peinture sur résine stratifiée, structure métallique sur 4 roues (Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Paris) ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019. Au fond, Eduardo Arroyo, Fernand Léger, 2007. Huile sur toile © Adagp, Paris, 2019 / photo Galerie Louis Carré & Cie, Paris.
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Le jardin du musée national Fernand Léger et sa buvette. Façade principale du musée : mosaïque de Heidi et Lino Mélano, hauts-reliefs de Roland et Claude Brice, réalisés à partir du projet inachevé de l’artiste pour le stade vélodrome d’Hanovre (All.). Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot ©ADAGP, Paris, 2019.

You have understood from reading the few lines above, we warmly recommend the visit of this museum both for the beauty of the works of Fernand Léger, their power, as for the layout of the places. Visitors to the museum are here involved in their journey. Many activities, such as reading workshop, children's workshops etc ... will allow you to attend this museum as a real place to live.

Few infos

  • Musée national Fernand Léger
    Chemin du Val de Pôme
    06410 Biot
  • www.musee-fernandleger.fr
  • +33 (0)4 92 91 50 30
  • Prices: 7,50 €, reduce prices 6 €, groups 7€
  • Open every day except Tuesday and May 1st from May to October, from 10h to 18h