|  | As a small 1825 painting by Camille Corot confirms, from its windows as from its beautiful English park, the view from the Fondation de l’Hermitage has remained miraculously untouched. The cathedral, the Château St-Maire, Lake Geneva and the Savoy Alps framed by high foliage. If the French painter returned to the Sauvabelin hill, he would see nothing to hint at the changes of modern life. Far from the (overly) beaten trackJune 1984 marked the beginning of a second life for the beautiful 19th century residence, which was offered to the city by the Bugnion family. Spread over four floors it offers the public the attractions of a private setting. Art historian and well-known publisher François Daulte was its first director, very quickly helping to spread the name of the Fondation. Impressionists, Bonnard, Boudin, and Magritte are at home at the Hermitage. From 1996 to 2011, Juliane Cosandier has alternated, with high-reaching eclecticism, between monographs (Brauner, Jawlensky, Caillebotte, Fantin-Latour, Hopper), collections (Weinberg, Planque) and trends (pointillism, futurism, English watercolour, Scandinavian painting, Spanish painting). Sylvie Wuhrmann, director since August 2011, has taken the reins of the museum, leading it towards new successes, with captivating and varied exhibition projects, from 18th century to modern art. Area outbuildings
A contemporary glass pavilion adjoined to the house serves as its reception and bookstore. An underground extension expands its exhibition spaces and connects to the farmhouse, which hosts concerts, conferences and children’s workshops. Its small red-brick “factory”, a former pigeon house and orangery built in the style of the period, has been transformed into a charming café-restaurant. |
