Musée des Beaux-Arts – Marseille
The Musée des Beaux Arts of Marseille was founded following the consular decree of 31 August 1801, in order to share the works of the Central Museum of Paris among 15 major provincial cities; the first nucleus that reached the museum was in fact made up of the works once owned by expatriates who left France because of the French Revolution.
Initially a chapel of the Convent of the Bernardine was chosen as seat, but the space was insufficient to contain the works; the collection was then transferred in 1873 to the left wing of the Palais Longchamp, a grand monumental building designed by the architect Henri-Jacques Espérandieu.
The collection of paintings today includes works from the French, Italian, Spanish, Flemish and Dutch schools
