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A little history of Rodin museum in Paris

General view | olanguepin / CC-BY-SA
Museum Town house Rodin museum in Paris

We are here in 79 rue de Varenne, near the Invalides. Behind those high walls, we have a little gem of the 18th century, the Biron's house, current Rodin museum.

A man called Abraham Peyrenc de Moras raised it. This man was very rich, thanks to Scottish banker John Law! He owned several lands between 1727 and 1732, from boulevard des Invalides to rue de Varenne.

Architect Jean Aubert erected the town house, based on plans drawn by famous architect Jacques Gabriel.

But Peyrenc died 2 years after the end of the building site... The house was rent to duchess du Maine. In the 19th century, the estate fell to a ladies boarding school: the Society of Jesus Sacred-Heart.

The mother superior removed panelling, mirrors, balconies... All the precious things, in fact!

In 1904, the school was dissolved: the house was rent. Famous French artists as Cocteau, Matisse and Rodin moved here and lived in the ground floor.

The famous sculptor persuaded the French Nation to buy the house, 5 years later! They divided the estate in two parts: the hôtel Biron and Victor-Duruy high school. In 1919, they transformed the house into the current museum.

About the the author

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I'm fond of strolls and History, with juicy and spicy details!