Gustave Fayet landscaped gardens on his properties, such as Fontfroide Abbey, Igny Castle, and Villa Costebrune, making nature a major source of inspiration. These spaces nourished his artistic work, where botany, whether real or recomposed, rubs shoulders with the fantastic.

His creations, deeply influenced by decorative research, are displayed on canvases, carpets, fabrics, blotting paper, and illustrated books. The floral motifs, sometimes transformed, evoke the work of Redon and reflect a unique vision of plants, where nature and decoration harmoniously complement each other.

This exhibition will reveal the richness of this universe, where garden art, botany, and decoration intermingle. To look at Gustave Fayet’s imaginary gardens is to discover vibrant creations that bear witness to his inventiveness and his original view of nature at the beginning of the 20th century.

 

INFORMATIONS PRATIQUES

Exhibition curator ‘Gustave Fayet et ses jardins imaginaires’ :

Pierre Pinchon, Professor of Contemporary Art History, Aix-Marseille University, UMR 7303 TELEMME-CNRS

and

Olivier Schuwer, Head of General Coordination, Fayet Season Research Program,

with the participation of Elodie Cottrez, art historian.

Gallery Panels : students of Master 2 Histoire de l’art moderne et contemporain (Parcours 1 Recherche), Aix-Marseille Université : Olivier Barriol, Romane Chabin, Martine Chevallier, Loana Dumond, Erinne Guerit, Lilia Meier-Meunier, Marie Nerini, Noémie Van-Assche

Authors of the forthcoming exhibition catalog :

Guillaume d’Abbadie, great-grandson of Gustave Fayet, state administrator at the Ministry of Culture

Stéphanie de Courtois, senior lecturer, ENSA Versailles / Laboratoire LEAV.

Véronique Mure, botanist and tropical agricultural engineer

Pierre Pinchon, Professor of Contemporary Art History, Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7303 TELEMME-CNRS

Antoine de Rosny, professor of classical literature, specialist of André Suarès

Olivier Schuwer, Doctor of Art History, Head of General Coordination for the Saison Fayet Research Program

Students of Master 2 Histoire de l’art moderne et contemporain d’Aix-Marseille Université : Olivier Barriol, Romane Chabin, Martine Chevallier, Manon Cholley, Loana Dumond, Erinne Guerit, Lilia Meier-Meunier, Marie Nerini, Noémie Van-Assche

Documentalist :

Aline Lemaitre

Panneaux de salle :

Students of Master 2 Histoire de l’art moderne et contemporain (Parcours 1 Recherche), Aix-Marseille Université : Olivier Barriol, Romane Chabin, Martine Chevallier, Loana Dumond, Erinne Guerit, Lilia Meier-Meunier, Marie Nerini, Noémie Van-Assche

Graphic design :

Abbaye Saint-André, graphic design of the exhibition

Studio Asenso, graphic design of the catalog

Translation :

Louise Rogers Lalaurie, author, literary translator, art historian

Restoration of works :

Séverine Padiolleau, conserver-restorer of paintings

Fondation Louis Vuitton, Florence Delnef, wallpaper restorer et Armand Deroyan, carpet expert and restorer

Picture framing :

Christine Rieffel

Partners :

Association Musée d’Art Gustave Fayet à Fontfroide (MAGFF)

Lenders :

Palais-Musée des Archevêques de Narbonne

Musée d’art Hyacinthe Rigaud de Perpignan

Musée Fayet de Béziers

Abbaye de Fontfroide et Abbaye Saint-André

Indivision Germaine d’Abbadie, Barthélémy d’Andoque de Sériège, Alexandre d’Andoque de Sériège, Constance et Hugues Bacou, Antoine Fayet, Pierre Fayet, Indivision Granel, Rémy de Langlade, Marc de Langlade, Oriol Solé, Jean Viennet

Press relations :

Briseis Communication

Photo credits :

MAGFF, Isabelle Ildevert, Henri Gaud, Abbaye Saint-André.

“The Gustave Fayet Centenary Season”

On the occasion of the centenary of Gustave Fayet’s death, the Gustave Fayet Art Museum Association at Fontfroide (MAGFF) has joined forces with several major institutions to pay tribute to this central figure in the history of modern art. From 2025 to 2027, the Gustave Fayet Centenary Season (1865–1925), supported by an ambitious cultural program (exhibitions, concerts, publications, conferences), explores the many facets of this artist, collector, patron, and entrepreneur.
At the dawn of the 20th century, Gustave Fayet established himself as one of the earliest collectors of the avant-garde. He assembled an impressive collection of works, notably by Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh. In 1908, he acquired the Abbey of Fontfroide, where Odilon Redon created his masterpiece Day, Night, Silence in the library. An artist himself, Fayet saw his own works gain increasing recognition until his death in 1925.
Thus, from the Abbey of Fontfroide (Narbonne) to the Abbaye Saint-André (Villeneuve-lès-Avignon), from the Museon Arlaten in Arles to the town of Igny, from the Fayet Museum and the André Malraux Media Library in Béziers to the Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris), this Centenary Season invites audiences to discover the exceptional universe of the works acquired or created by Gustave Fayet.
More information here : https://gustavefayet.fr/saison-fayet/