Nuit des musées au Musée des Beaux Arts de Dijon

Focus on works
Under the eye of the curators. A focus on some of the works in the collections in the company of the curators of the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

Restoration of a work: Grégoire Guérard, Sainte Catherine

This painting by Grégoire Guérard, purchased in November 2020, underwent a major restoration before its presentation in the gallery. Let's discover together the secrets of this work, revealed by this restoration. With Sandrine Champion, head curator of the 16th-18th century collections

At 8.45pm & 9.30pm - Room 19

Restoration of a work: André-Charles Boulle, Day and Night clock

Rediscovered when the collections were moved, this extremely rare clock is attributed to the famous cabinetmaker to Louis XIV, André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732). It has been extensively restored to its former glory. This flash tour will give you a better understanding of the challenges involved in restoring this exceptional early 18th-century objet d'art. With Sandrine Champion, head curator of the 16th-18th century collections

At 10.15pm & 10.45pm - Room 22

Prints and ivory cabinet from Vizagapatam (India): a new exhibition with an exotic theme

This is an opportunity to share in the recent rediscovery of a precious cabinet made entirely of ivory: it comes from the workshops of the town of Vizagapatam, on the east coast of India, and is the product of exchanges between Asia and Europe, which was won over by the exoticism of the 18th century. With Myriam Fevre, head of the graphic arts collections

At 8.30pm, 9.15pm & 10.00pm - Room 23

Is 19th-century art medieval?

In the 19th century, led by the Romantic movement, artists turned away from Antiquity to focus on their more recent national history. The Middle Ages in particular brought its share of fantasies linked to legends, knights and great historical figures. With Naïs Lefrancois, curator in charge of the 19th-century collections

At 10.00pm & 10.45pm - Room 31

Venus or the bookseller's daughter: the underside of Félix Trutat's Bacchante

Félix Trutat was 24 when he sent this painting of a female nude to Dijon town hall to thank them for the art grant he had been awarded to finance his studies at the Beaux-Arts. The painting was refused and sent back to the artist on the spot. Come and discover the eventful history of this painting in French public collections. With Naïs Lefrancois, curator in charge of the 19th century collections

8.30pm & 9.15pm - Room 32

Flash visits

The return of weapons!

We take a look at some of the weapons that have returned to our collections. Fiercely effective, they are nonetheless objets d'art, the work of talented craftsmen.

At 8.30pm & 9.15pm - Room 4

A newcomer among the mourners!

Since January, the sculpture of an altar boy has been part of the museum's permanent collections. Discover this new acquisition, attributed to one of the sculptors of the tomb of John the Fearless.

At 9.30pm & 10pm - Room 6

What a strange hoe

The wig was a veritable fashion accessory in the 17th and 18th centuries. Let's take a look at its evolution and uses.

At 8.45pm & 11.15pm - Room 22

The Cabinet of Vizagapatam

This cabinet from Vizagapatam (a port on the east coast of India) is a rare find in French collections, and has not been on public display since the late 1930s. It has now been added to the permanent collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts, following a remarkable restoration and a new attribution to this late 18th-early 19th-century Indian production. Presented alongside a display case of graphic art, this collection evokes chinoiserie and the exoticism movement.

At 10.45pm & 11.15pm - Room 23

Jeanne, can you hear me?

In the works of the 19th century, Joan of Arc was a subject taken up by artists. Who would have thought that the knight scorned in the Middle Ages would become a heroine four centuries after being burnt?

At 10.30pm & 11.15pm - Room 33

Night of the Saviours

Young or old, we all need to believe in heroes! Tonight, we pay tribute to them through some daring figures from the medieval past...

At 10.15pm & 11.00pm - Temporary exhibition (Meet on the exhibition landing, 3rd floor)

Fun activities
Fun activities for young and old to discover the museum's collections in two different rooms.

Continuous - Room 26

Practical art workshop
When the sky was golden Immerse yourself in the pictorial world of the Middle Ages, when the sky was often represented by gold. Work together on a fresco, which will be exhibited after Museum Night in the exhibition's mediation room.

Continuously - stretcher work

The class, the work!
Altarpieces of Friendship Discover the work of 4th year pupils from Boris Vian secondary school in Talant, as part of the Arts and Culture Education programme, La classe, l'œuvre! in connection with the temporary exhibition Maîtres et merveilles. This 6-session project enabled the pupils to discover the Swiss and German medieval paintings in the permanent collections. Discussions with museum professionals then gave them an insight into the jobs involved in designing and producing a temporary exhibition. At the end of these sessions, the pupils worked in art workshops on the representation of notions of identity, personality and friendship, borrowing techniques or elements from medieval iconography such as brocade, gilding and the presence of specific attributes.

8-9.30pm - 3rd floor landing, temporary exhibition side