The National Museum of Decorative Art, dedicated to design and decorative arts, has valuable collections of sculptures, paintings, tapestries, weapons, books, ceramics, furniture and miniatures, mainly European and Oriental, from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. Through permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, guided tours and cultural activities, it proposes a synergistic and stimulating dialogue between artistic testimonies from the past and current creations,
It is located in the Palacio Errázuriz Alvear, designed in 1911 by the architect René Sergent, in a French neoclassical style. The building was the residence of the family formed by Josefina de Alvear and Matías Errázuriz Ortúzar. The couple had lived for ten years in Europe and there acquired a valuable collection of works of European and Oriental art. In 1936, the National State bought the house and collections and a year later the National Museum of Decorative Art was created.
The collection
The current inventory of the Museum exceeds 6000 objects, ranging from Roman sculptures to handcrafted creations of contemporary silverware. The greatest interest of the collection lies in the pieces of European and Eastern decorative arts, sculptures and paintings from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, many of which belonged to the Errázuriz Alvear.
Among outstanding pieces, there is the set of European miniatures from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries - the most important of its kind -, an oil on canvas by El Greco, tapestries from the 16th century, a sculpture by Auguste Rodin and a bronze clock that It was a kings Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette wedding gift.
Building
The palace was restored as a house-museum, which not only houses valuable pieces of art and furniture from different periods, but also reveals the lifestyle of a patrician family at the beginning of the 20th century. During the eighteen years that the Errázuriz Alvear lived there, the house was the scene of receptions, concerts and charity dances; also a space of luxury and comfort. To make life more comfortable in the house, the architect Sergeant had incorporated a lot of technological advances: two elevators, a central heating system and a centralized dust extraction system, very novel for the time.
The house recreates the most significant styles of decorative art and European decoration of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It has a small lounge decorated in an early Art Deco style by the Catalan artist José María Sert; There are four panels painted in oil, one of them on a mirror. That room is the only one in the house with 20th century decoration. The residence also has an imposing French-style garden that functions as an extension of the reception halls. The central axis of the composition is the Fountain of swans, surrounded by boxed flower beds that evoke designs of the Palace of Versailles.
The museum depends on the Ministry of Culture of the Nation. It can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 12:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
collections:
Sculptures: Antoine Coysevox, Auguste Rodin Antoine Bourdelle, Ossip Zadkine, Pierre Chinard, Jules Roulleau, C Mantegazza, Alberto Lagos, Clodion
Miniatures: examples of European origin from the 16th to the 20th centuries, watercolors, enamels, gouache
Furniture: from cabinetmakers G. Jacob, Ellaume, Roetgen, Jacob-Desmalter.
Goldwork: works by Gouthière, F. Thomas Germain.
Painting: El Greco, Fragonard, Corot, Fantin Latour, Manet, Anglada Camarassa, Joaquín Sorolla ...
Porcelanas: Sèvres, Mennecy, Meissen. Tender paste and hard pasta.
Tapestries: Manufactures of Tournai (S XV), of Brussels (ends S XVI), of Beauvais (S XVIII)
The National Museum of Decorative Art is a piece of France in the heart of Buenos Aires. It is a journey in time, and to another country, a wonderful place full of surprises a museum inside another museum. Enjoy a sample in this museum is a luxury. The architectural beauty of the place added to exhibitions are a good plan. It also has a small cafeteria where you can eat delicious breakfasts or snacks, enjoying the French environment that the museum and its surroundings offer.