Fondation Custodia

The Fondation Custodia, also known as the Collection Frits Lugt, is a renowned private art foundation in Paris's 7th arrondissement. It houses one of the world's most important collections of European Old Masters, with a particular focus on drawings, prints, and paintings. The institution was founded in 1947 by the Dutch art historian Frits Lugt and his wife, Jacoba Klever, who donated their extensive holdings and their fortune to the foundation. The Fondation is located on the Rue de Lille, right next to the National Assembly. The complex consists of two historic buildings: the Hôtel Turgot, an 18th-century city mansion, and the neighboring Hôtel Lévis-Mirepoix, built in 1895. While the Hôtel Turgot houses the collection rooms, the galleries in the Hôtel Lévis-Mirepoix are used for rotating exhibitions.

The heart of the collection is a vast holding of drawings and prints that represent above all Dutch and Flemish art of the 17th century. You can admire works by masters such as Rembrandt, Lucas van Leyden, and Pieter Bruegel, complemented by French and Italian sheets. A special treasure is the nearly complete set of Rembrandt's etchings, along with two of only seven known letters by the artist in the world. The collection also includes around 450 paintings, rare Indian miniatures, antique frames, and Chinese porcelain. The associated specialist library, with about 130,000 volumes, is one of the largest art history collections in France and covers Western fine art from the 15th to the 19th century.

For the public, the Fondation Custodia is a place of cultural encounter and learning. Several times a year, the foundation organizes themed exhibitions that combine works from its own collection with loans from other museums. Regular guided tours of the historic Hôtel Turgot offer insight into the architectural history of the building, which is named after the finance minister Turgot, who died there. The collection is accessible to researchers and art lovers by appointment, and part of the holdings can also be viewed online. Through its close ties to Dutch research institutes and its active role in the restoration and cataloging of European art collections, the Fondation Custodia reinforces its position as a central place for the study and presentation of European art history.