Musée des Augustins: Romanesque Sculpture and 19th-Century Masterpieces

The Musée des Augustins in Toulouse houses one of the world's most important collections of Romanesque capitals, originating from destroyed cloisters of local monuments: Notre-Dame de la Daurade, Saint-Sernin basilica, and Saint-Étienne cathedral. A capital from Saint-Étienne narrates the tragic story of John the Baptist and Salome. The museum also features a spectacular sculpture group by local artist Laurent Marqueste (1848-1920), depicting Perseus slaying Medusa, which achieved success in 1876. Among its 19th-century paintings are works by Eugène Delacroix, Jean-Paul Laurens, Benjamin-Constant, and Édouard Debat-Ponsan (1847-1913), whose orientalist scene of a masseuse remains iconic for its realism and eroticism. Less-known but significant painters include Nicolas Tournier (1590-1639), a major Languedoc artist influenced by Caravaggio, known for chiaroscuro and realistic treatment of faces and costumes.