Fernand Léger and André Mare Museum to Open in Argentan

The childhood home of Cubist painter Fernand Léger in Argentan, Normandy, will open as a museum in June 2019, also honoring André Mare, a native of Argentan and co-founder of Art Deco. The house, purchased by the city in 1990, was abandoned until 2015 when restoration began, including returning the garden to its appearance in Léger's painting Le jardin de ma mère. Renovations cost €1.3 million. The museum will display about thirty works, including Cycles X, a watercolor by Léger from 1899 acquired from a nephew of André Mare for €10,000 (valued at €60,000) on condition it be exhibited in a museum. Léger destroyed most pre-1910 works, making this a rare survival. The museum traces the artists' lives from Argentan to international recognition, highlighting their shared love for their hometown. Léger lived in Argentan until 1908, then moved to Montparnasse, Paris, where he connected with Chagall, Soutine, Jacob, and Apollinaire. Critic Vauxcelles dubbed his painting Nudes in the Forest (1909-10) "tubist," but Picasso defended Léger's innovation.