“Looking for the studio and house where Bourdelle used to work?” a doctor once asked. Here, on Impasse des Chantereines, history whispers. This seemingly ordinary impasse holds artistic secrets.
Impasse des Chantereines connects us to Antoine Bourdelle. He was a renowned sculptor. Bourdelle’s legacy lives on right here.
In January 1885, Bourdelle rented his first studio. It was number 16, Impasse du Maine. This later became Rue Antoine-Bourdelle. The building was an artist’s residence. Painters, engravers, and sculptors lived together. They created an inspiring atmosphere. Doctor Julia described it in 1930. The doctor wrote of a badly cobbled impasse. The ground was muddy and uneven. It was like the countryside, yet in a Parisian neighborhood.
Bourdelle remained loyal to this place. Over the years, he acquired more studios. These studios were for his monumental commissions. The building at 16 Rue Antoine-Bourdelle was the old museum entrance. It is one of the oldest parts of the museum complex. A marble plaque commemorates Bourdelle’s presence. It was installed in 1933, four years after his death.
Pierre Auguste Paillard, a carpenter, owned this plot in 1879. He hired architect Henri Fernoux. Fernoux built a studio with two two-story pavilions. The design was inspired by classical architecture. There were pyramidal hip roofs and cornices. Quoins adorned with pilasters added detail.
Bourdelle rented an apartment on the first floor. His parents moved in from Montauban. Bourdelle’s father set up his cabinet-making shop on the ground floor. It was next to the concierge’s lodge. Bourdelle later turned this space into his painting studio.
The pavilion north of the studio was destroyed in the 1950s. A porte-cochère once stood where the fence is now. A cobbled passageway led to the artists’ residence.
Today, as you stand on Impasse des Chantereines, imagine the artists. Envision Bourdelle at work. Feel the artistic energy that once filled this place. This seemingly quiet impasse was a hub of creativity. It nurtured a great sculptor’s talent. The spirit of Impasse des Chantereines remains. It is a testament to the power of art.