With 142,000 visitors during the first six months of the year, the Museum of Impressionism in Giverny (Eure) always brings the whole world into Claude Monet's house, around the water lilies in the garden and David Gallienne's restaurant. Season after season, the museum builds a solid international reputation thanks to its original exhibitions on impressionism, but also in contemporary art. It also has a beautiful permanent collection (closed since the beginning of November for its winter break) of 299 works, the last of which was recently acquired during an auction at Christie's. “It’s about The Scheldt near Antwerp, setting sun by Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-1891), painted in 1866. An inalienable good that I wanted to buy to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the museum,” says Cyrille Sciama, director of the Museum of Impressionism.
Every year, the museum seeks to enrich its collection of works that have marked the history of impressionism, “which is rare and therefore expensive,” notes the museum director. “There are, however, names that are less sought after by international collectors. There, Johan Barthold Jongkind is very interesting, because he is one of the fathers of impressionism. A friend of Claude Monet and Eugène Boudin. They had ties together in Normandy, and painted on the cliffs of Honfleur. It was the meeting of post-impressionism and impressionism. He was a celebrity during his lifetime,” explains Cyrille Sciama.
It is also a name that the museum was missing, and a painting that has an importance in itself, as the director points out: “It predates Rising sun print (1872) by Claude Monet, who gave birth to Impressionism. We know that Monet looked at Jongkind's work a lot. We are very happy to have purchased this work, because it is in very good condition on its original canvas, without restoration and in a format that any collector can have (40 x 60 cm, NDLR). »
300 donors from all over the world
Johan Barthold Jongkind painted “The Scheldt near Antwerp, Setting Sun” in two versions. He sold one, while the other remained in his workshop until his death in 1891. It was then sold at auction and moved into French and foreign collections over the decades. “I discovered that the painting was for sale,” remembers Cyrille Sciama. “I was really delighted to be able to bring this important work back to Normandy. It had a low estimate, between 25,000 and 35,000 euros. »
After having obtained the agreement of the scientific council of the museum (which includes the director of the Château de Versailles, the director of the collections of the Musée d'Orsay and the director of the Marmottan-Monet museum, specialists and academics), “which issues a opinion that I am, the sale was a small fight against a Parisian gallery that I know,” smiles the director. “I'm a gambler and I had my budget in mind. The hammer fell at 45,000 euros (61,000 euros all costs included, Editor’s note). I have no problem saying it because this is public and private money. And it’s not very expensive for a painting of this quality and historical and cultural value,” adds Cyrille Sciama.
Especially since three quarters of the sum was obtained thanks to donations coming from the circle of patrons, the Society of Friends of the museum and, this year, the neighboring McArthurGlen Giverny shopping center, whose opening was supported by the museum. “And above all, but it was not the first time, thanks to a subscription. It was launched on a platform created and dedicated to the museum, which reduces costs, and via a physical ballot box at the entrance to the museum. It was a success,” rejoices the director. “What is interesting is the origin of the donations. There are Americans, Germans, Spaniards, Italians, etc. Very international donations, between 10 euros and 1,000 euros. » In total, more than 300 donors participated in raising 39,500 euros.
The Jongkind will of course be one of the major pieces to discover from the 2025 summer season at the Museum of Impressionism in Giverny, “and, like all our works, the painting can also be loaned to French and international museums. We have a few nuggets that interest the whole world,” recalls Cyrille Sciama.
