Le Havre. The incredible story of this painting painted by Henri Manguin exhibited at MuMa

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It is a painting with a singular destiny which has just joined the walls of the André-Malraux Museum of Modern Art in Le Havre. Acquired in 1916 by the State, The plain, Cassis-sur-Mer (1913), by Henri Manguin (1874-1949), Fauve painter, literally vanished during the Occupation.

Acquired by a pharmaceutical group in a dubious manner in 1950

In 1950, Bayer AG acquired it from a dealer regularly involved in transactions involving looted works of art. Seven decades later, the multinational pharmaceutical company decided to return this painting to its owner.

This is how she won the collections of the National Center for Plastic Arts (CNAP)already rich in 108,000 works. Since 1791, this public establishment has perpetuated a national policy of purchasing from living artists, in order to support creation.

The MuMa chosen to welcome it

However, although the Cnap has an immense collection, it has… neither walls nor picture rails! He therefore carries out loans or deposits with different administrations, prefectures, embassies, ministries, but also cultural or heritage institutions and, of course, museums, in order to allow as many people as possible to benefit from it. MuMa is a partner of choicewhich already houses 107.

When the work was hung, Fabienne Delafosse, deputy mayor of Le Havre in charge of Culture, expressed her “emotion to see it arrive here”. Géraldine Lefebvre, director of MuMa, for her part expressed her joy at completing the Le Havre collection of Fauvist painters with this deposit: “Manguin was missing. All his friends are there, Le Havre Othon Friesz, Albert Marquet, Camoin…”

And Géraldine Lefebvre emphasizes that all the Fauvist artists came to the Pointe de Caux at one time or another, between 1906 and 1910, to participate in the annual exhibition organized by the Cercle de l’Art moderne, founded at the initiative of local artists and collectors.

Undoubtedly, The plain, Cassis-sur-Mer is a peaceful… and soothing work, which we will enjoy admiring on the mezzanine. A healthy detour before going to enjoy the magnificent winter exhibition The Senns, collectors and patrons.

From our correspondent Stéphane William Gondoin

Practical information:
MuMa, 2 boulevard Clemenceau, Le Havre. Open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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