International Museum of Naive Art- History of the Bages museum

The birth of the "Palais des Naïfs"
Situated at Bages, in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in South-West France, the Palais des Naïfs came into being in 1991 through the willpower of two creative minds.

Firstly, that of inspired wine-grower, François CARRERE, whose idea it was to build this extraordinary house back in 1954. He built it without planning permission and it was on the basis of its originality that the Town Council refused to have it destroyed despite a recieving a court order for its demolition.

Next came painter, Françoise Javault, better known under her artistic name of JAVO, an admirer of both Naïve Art and the house, who dreamt of finding an place to exhibit this art form where the exceptional nature of the contents could match that of the edifice which housed them.

The opening of an exceptional museum

After overcoming numerous administrative and financial difficulties, Françoise Javault’s perseverance bore fruit and the Palais des Naïfs opened its doors on 25th April 1991.

Less than a year later, in January 1992, the Palais des Naïfs won the Iris Trophy, a prize awarded to the best tourist attraction in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

Over the years the Palais des Naïfs built up a fine collection of works by artists from the five continents. For 10 years the museum and its themed exhibitions ensured the promotion of Naïve Art both in the Bages area and on an international scale.

The future of the Bages Collection

In 2002, a short time after the death of its founder, the Palais des Naïfs succombed to heavy debts and was obliged to close.

Françoise Javault’s heirs, prefering to perpetuate her work rather than break up the collection, invited the International Museum of Naïve Art in Vicq to take charge of the art works and continue showing them to the public.

Thus, in September 2004, the International Museum of Naïve Art saw its collection enriched by around 500 works. The musuem’s mission is to preserve and exhibit the Bages collection alongside the collection assembled by Max Fourny, founder of the International Museum of Naive Art in Vicq in1973.

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