You have always dreamed of discovering the attics of the Castle of Rosa Bonheur, magical place where sleep works, photographs, objects... we offer the first 100 donors a private visit of the attics to discover all the secrets they contain.
Rosa Bonheur, a famous animal painter of the 19th century throughout the world, is the first artist, men and women alike, to know speculation about her works during her lifetime. She acquired the Château de By estate through the sale of only one of her works The Horse Fair, now on display at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. She spent half her life painting in her studio in By built by Jules Saulnier. A true heroine of a novel, Rosa Bonheur, independent, obstinate, will obtain the first written authorization to wear pants in order to attend safe livestock fairs. Empress Eugenie will make Rosa the first female artist to receive the Legion of Honour, she is just over 40 years old.
Ecologist before the time, she cherishes nature and animals and welcomes in her 7.5 acres park more than 200 species in quasi-freedom, oxen, sheep, deer, boars, chamois, eagles and lions... that she takes as models for her compositions. Her park is her refuge, her workplace but also a place of extraordinary meetings. The trees, more than 400 years old, saw the Empress Eugenie and Emperor Napoleon III come to visit the artist and her gardens but also the Royal Prince of Prussia who wanted a souvenir, stole a brush from Rosa Bonheur’s country studio installed in the Louis XVI pavilion then Buffalo Bill , Dumas, Bizet, Gounot... And more recently Stéphane Bern, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron
For 70 years, France has erased, forgotten the prodigious success of an exceptional woman artist, known all over the world. We wish for the bicentenary of the birth of Rosa Bonheur, to give back to her castle, the green setting that inspired her, consoled, protected for 40 years and thus allow the public to immerse totally in the universe of the artist.
The castle and the studio of Rosa Bonheur have that of unique and exceptional to have never known neither transformations nor redevelopments. As they were in 1899, they remained, giving this place a rare and moving atmosphere.
The park has known the same destiny but the nature has eaten away the charming little constructions, the vegetation has invaded the maze of boxwood, the paths have disappeared under the brambles, the ponds filled, the trees covered with ivy run out, the pedestals of sculptures or stone benches only vaguely reveal a piece of ruin.
The two years of research conducted by Patricia Bouchenot-Dechin, historian of parks and gardens and supported by Louis Valin, expert tree, have helped define the project to safeguard and enhance the Park to revive the park of Rosa Bonheur.
The project was so seductive, so tempting that a crazy dream was imposed:
Be the Giverny of Ile de France.
Presumptuous? not ambitious! Rosa is worth it
Our objectives:
Save and restore small buildings that tell the daily story of Rosa Bonheur but also exceptional events:
- Enhancement of the 18th century pavilion of the muses with its antique frescoes and mysterious marble paving. Rosa Bonheur used the pavilion as a country workshop to observe and paint her animals in the middle of nature.
- The perfect rural heritage, the grape chamber in serious peril need an urgent rehabilitation. This is one of the last grape chambers used to store fresh grapes (Thomery’s Chasselas) for 6 to 7 months. This process developed by Rose Charmeux made the fortune of the village of Thomery in the XIX century and the delights of the kings of France and the great of this world.
- Restoration and development of the launch pad, a remnant of the 1870 war and the whimsical and patriotic impulses of Rosa Bonheur.
- Restoration and enhancement of the "train station" and the railway circuit built by Rosa Bonheur and Nathalie Micas to test the first skate brake, invented by Nathalie Micas. Rosa will make it a caricature...
As well as the valorization of a remarkable plant heritage:
- Preservation of a rare and rich biodiversity
- Safeguarding of remarkable elements: centuries-old trees, boxwood labyrinth...
- Creation of a historical, poetic garden: collection of 50 boxwoods, creation of a rose garden, creation of groves echoing the animals of the park...
- To propose an innovative vision of the garden, to allow an innovative approach of the museography by a plant staging: each tree or species corresponds to a key of the life of Rosa Bonheur.
All these battles won in 4 years to save and restore the castle of Rosa Bonheur, we owe them to those who supported us, to the volunteers of the association Rosa Bonheur but also to the institutions, the Ile de France Region, the Fondation du Patrimoine, the Mission Bern, the Seine and Marne Department.. But to continue our project and restore its green setting to the park of the castle of Rosa Bonheur for the bicentenary of its birth, three stages are still necessary.We propose to come and join us to live this rebirth.
First of all redesign the spaces with their own function to understand and imagine Rosa Bonheur in her gardens. Then replant to replace the species of diseased or disappeared trees that she adored as well as the flower beds that Rosa loved to offer in large loads to her dazzled visitors. Finally, restore the small constructions hidden at the detours of the paths or among the large trees. The park is not only a beautiful setting of greenery, it is also the sanctuary of the artist.
Minimum objective:
- Stage 1: €10,000, this first step will allow the gardens, the park, the vegetable garden, the box maze and the rose garden to be redesigned according to historical research. A first step that structures with the installation of small chestnut fences and bower hedges
- Stage 2: 50,000€ planting of 90 trees and 300 plants evoking the history and work of Rosa Bonheur
- Stage 3: 100,000 € restorations of the muses pavilion, the grape chamber and the launch pad
They support us:
A family, a woman and her 4 children, touched by the story of little Marie Rosalie Bonheur became the illustrious Rosa Bonheur, fascinated by the authenticity of the place, never transformed, we engaged in the safeguarding of the home of Rosa Bonheur, her collections, her exceptional park and the factories it contains.
The objective: to rehabilitate this exceptional place to open it to the public, to make known the illustrious and romantic Rosa Bonheur
Very committed, supported and supported by an international community moved and enthusiastic, we fight daily, our efforts have already borne fruit!
What was not imaginable 4 years ago is now programmed, Rosa Bonheur will be the subject of an exhibition in the Orsay Museum in autumn 2022 to celebrate the bicentenary of her birth, it will be the same at the Museum of Fine Arts of Bordeaux and of course here, at the castle of Rosa Bonheur
This rebirth of the artist will be celebrated through shoots such as: Une Maison un Artiste, from France 5; a docu-fiction co-produced by Orsay and France TV and a Secret d'Histoire by Stéphane Bern but also books and novels.
Already visible: Des Racines et des Ailes
HOW TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT?
You can support this project:
Dartagnans
Campagne {Sauvons l'écrin de verdure du Château Rosa Bonheur}
15 rue de Milan
75009 PARIS
https://www.leparisien.fr/sein...
Since the beginning of the adventure to "save the castle and the work of Rosa Bonheur", we have worked every day without rest. We have sometimes cried with despair, we have often laughed with happiness, we have shared our discoveries and emotions with thousands of visitors. We have made wonderful encounters.
Nothing makes us happier than sharing this adventure. So thank you for your support, thank you for joining and living with us the rebirth of a great symbol.
Contact e-mail : : [email protected]
Social network links :
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/musee...
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/chat...
Site internet : https://www.chateau-rosa-bonhe...
