Villa Vauban is the home of the Musée d’Art de la Ville de Luxembourg, an art museum that celebrates the work of great European masters. The museum stores decorative arts, paintings, photographs and sculptures donated by wealthy collectors. Villa Vauban was built as a private residence in 1873 on grounds once occupied by the city’s fortifications. It became a museum in 1959.
The exhibitions have a strong emphasis on the 17th-century Golden Age of Dutch painting and French historical and landscape art from the 19th century. Three affluent collectors, including the well-known banker and philanthropist Jean-Pierre Pescatore, donated their personal collections to the city.
Spot masterpieces by Cornelius Bega, Jan Steen and Philips Wouwerman, among other Dutch artists. Eugène Delacroix and Jules Dupré are some of the French artists represented. Major highlights include The Conversation of Saint Paul by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, The Lacemaker by Pieter Cornelisz van Slingelandt and The Moselle Valley by Barend Cornelius Koekkoek.
Complementing the main exhibition is a gallery with works by modern Luxembourg artists. Admire the talent of sculptors Auguste Trémont, Claus Citto and Jean-Pierre Georg. Don’t miss The Goose Seller by the abstract painter Joseph Probst. He was a leader of Luxembourg’s Iconomaques, a group that pioneered a move from figurative to abstract art.
The villa is a work of art in itself and features a beautiful neoclassical façade. It takes its name from Sébastien Le Prestre Vauban, a Frenchman responsible for designing parts of Luxembourg’s fortress. In the villa’s basement you can view a section of the ancient defensive wall.
Located in Municipal Park, the museum is just a 10-minute walk from Place Guillaume II. Go for a stroll around the glorious lawns of the park before or after visiting the museum.
Villa Vauban and the Musée d’Art de la Ville de Luxembourg are open from Wednesday to Monday and there’s an admission fee. Entrance is free on Friday evening. Check the museum’s official website for a list of events such as family painting workshops and firework displays.
