The Photographic collections of the Musée Bourdelle include around 20,000 documents dating from 1880 to the present day. Most of them were donated to the City of Paris by the artist’s daughter, Rhodia Dufet-Bourdelle, in 1995.
Extremely rich and of undeniable aesthetic quality, the collection consists of prints of various types (around 13,800) and negatives on glass and a flexible film base (around 5,500). This monographic set sheds light on the artist’s private and professional life.
It includes photographs collected by Bourdelle throughout his life, such as reproductions of artworks, and photographs depicting his sculptures, taken by the artist himself or under his supervision. Bourdelle also gathered shots of his studio, models, pupils and exhibitions dedicated to himself.
The museum also has a more intimate set of photographs of family members, as well as prints given to the artist by his various acquaintances.