Listen closely. What if I told you that Villa Hériot has a history woven with threads of ambition, art, and transformation? Constructed in the 1920s by French philanthropist Cyprienne Hériot, Villa Hériot now serves as the headquarters of the International Institute of Art.
Cyprienne Hériot’s journey began humbly. Born Anne-Marie Dubernet, she started her career selling corsets in Paris. She worked at the Grands Magasins du Louvre. This magnificent department store was on Rue de Rivoli.
Paris underwent a transformation in 1855. Dark streets were replaced with wide avenues. This prepared the city for international visitors. The Grand Hôtel du Louvre was constructed as part of this preparation. August Hériot founded a shopping arcade in the hotel. It was called Les Galeries du Louvre.
August Hériot’s brother, Commander Olympe Hériot, took over the department store. Anne-Marie Dubernet married Olympe Hériot in 1887. She then became Cyprienne Hériot. Some say her story inspired Émile Zola’s novel “Au Bonheur des Dames.”
Olympe and Cyprienne Hériot were generous art patrons. Commander Hériot built a school for young military orphans. Cyprienne continued this work after his death. She expanded the school and opened her château to the children.
Cyprienne Hériot also indulged in spectacular homes. She also owned a sailing yacht named Katoomba. Her passion for villas and education led her to Villa Hériot in Venice. Villa Hériot is on the island of Giudecca.
Raffaele Mainella designed Villa Hériot. He had previously designed Villa Cypris for her on the French Riviera. In 1926, Cyprienne, then a widow, bought land on Giudecca. Mainella transformed it into Villa Hériot. The villa included a main house, a guest house, and servants’ quarters. There was also a spacious garden and a covered dock.
World War II disrupted the festivities. The Hériot family returned to France. The Germans and then the Allies requisitioned Villa Hériot. Cyprienne Hériot died in 1945. In 1947, her son donated the property to the Venice municipality. The stipulation was that it become a school. This honored the Hériot family’s tradition of supporting education.
The main house became an elementary school. Later, it became the International University of Art Restoration. Today, students learn restoration techniques at Villa Hériot. The guest house is now home to various associations.
José Pedro Croft created “Uncertain Measure” on the lawns of Villa Hériot in 2017. These sculptures evoked apartments in Álvaro Siza’s social housing project. The steel frames echoed the pilings supporting the island.
As you stand before Villa Hériot, remember Cyprienne Hériot. She was a corset seller who became a patron of the arts. Her legacy lives on in this place of learning and preservation. Villa Hériot stands as a testament to transformation, art, and the enduring spirit of Venice.