Nélie Jacquemart was an artist and art collector whose love of art remains today in Paris.
Cornélie Barbe Hyacinthe Jacquemart was born July 25, 1841 in Paris. Her father worked for Alphée Bourdon de Vatry who was a wealthy politician and stock broker. Shortly after her birth he passed away and she and her mother continued on with the Vatry family and living with them in their grand home on Rue de Londres.
Alphée married Rose Agusta Émilie Paméla Hainguerlot and was drawn to the young Cornélie. Unable to have children of her own she imparted her love of art and culture on Cornélie who soaked it all up. Armed with art supplies she started to draw, encouraged by Rose who was also able to enroll her into a workshop given by artist Léon Cogniet, one of the few artists to give lessons to women.
In 1858 while attending the social event of the year, the funeral for Malka Kachwar, queen of Oude Nélie which she now went by, was sketching the people in attendance. An editor for L’Illustration newspaper saw her sketches and asked to publish them in their January 1858 issue. A stroke of the right place at the right time for a young female artist.
It got the attention of the art community in Paris and two years later she was displaying her paintings at an exhibition in Versailles and just after that she was appearing on the walls of the Salon of 1863 with the biggest artists of the time. Her paintings were sold and commissions followed for portraits and paintings for the local churches. Today you can still find her paintings in the Notre Dame de Clignancourt and Saint Jacques de Haut Pas
In 1872 Edouard André contacted Nélie to paint a portrait of the wealthy French banker who lived in the grand mansion on Boulevard Haussmann. Edouard had been a member of the military and a member of the protective force for Napoleon III before he turned to the family business of politics and banking.
At the time Haussmann was cutting through Paris creating the vast boulevards lined with iron lined balconies. Architect Henri Parent, the runner up to Charles Garnier in the competition to design the Opera, would design the classically stunning home to house his art collection.
Nine years after he first sat for Nélie, the two would meet again and shortly after on June 29, 1881 the two would marry. Edouard was now 48 and in ill health and his family pushed for the marriage and convinced Nélie of the union. There wasn’t a lot of love there but they did get along well and both loved art. Edouard even had one of the large rooms transformed into a studio for her painting but as soon as they were married she put down her brushes and never picked them up again.
With a keen eye of her own when it came to collecting art, the two began to travel all over Europe, the near east and Asia to collect paintings, objects and furniture. The two happily amassed one of the greatest personal collections in Paris and even went up against the Louvre at auctions that resulted in the purchase of a Rembrant, The Pilgrims of Emmaus. On July 16, 1894 Edouard died after years of battling syphilis. His former will had given all of his wealth and property back to his family, the same family that encouraged Nélie to marry him. In the last few months of his life he changed it and named Nélie his sole heir. The family was not pleased and took her to court, but his wishes were upheld and Nélie inherited everything.
In the following years she continued to travel, adding to her personal gallery. On a 1902 voyage around the world when she got word that the Abbey de Chaalis, the former property of Rose de Vatry was for sale. The fondest memories of her childhood centered around this lovely property 40 kilometers north of Paris. Cutting the trip short and just before she was to leave for Japan she returned to Paris and purchased the former abbey.
The Abbey de Chaalis dates back to 1137 when it was built under the orders of Louis VI. Consecrated in 1219, over time the medieval buildings fell in disrepair and were destroyed and in the 18th century new buildings were added and eventually in 1850 Rose de Vatry purchased the property including the Saint Marie chapel and restored the fresco ceiling.
For ten years Nélie enjoyed the abbey and filled it with her art and furniture and spent long periods there. On May 15, 1912 Nélie died and left both the mansion in Paris and the abbey to the Institut de France with very specific instructions on how her art was to be displayed.
On December 8. 1913, less than seven months after her death the Musée Jacquemart André in Paris and the Abbey de Chaalis were opened to the public, left exactly how she intended it.
The Musée Jacquemart André is a wonderful museum that features her own collection of art that includes paintings by Rembrandt, Vigee Le Brun and Jacques Louis David. It is a triple threat museum, not only do you get to step into the life of Nélie and Edouard and their personal collection but twice a year they hold wonderful exhibits.
Her collection includes more than 4000 pieces that are housed between the museum in Paris and the Abbey de Chaalis. The Abbey and it’s grounds can be easily visited, just check the hours before you go.
