Abstract:
Title: Rediscovering the gypsothèque of the “École régionale” des Beaux-arts d'Amiens, from its foundation to the “Statues Modèles” exhibition at the Musée de Picardie
The latest rediscovery of the plaster cast collection of Amiens went through the study of unprecedented historical sources, and an in-depth material study of the remaining plasters. This history’s revelation provides a missing link at local scale, on the arts education background from half the 18th century to the 70’s. These researches are included in a core of recent studies which are rehabilitating a misunderstood heritage, obscured from the half of the 20th century. Thanks to the collaboration between the University of Picardie Jules Verne, the Superior Art and Design School (Ésad) of Amiens which inherited the collection, and the Musée de Picardie, the result of these works was exhibited to the public in Statues Modèles, Une histoire de l’enseignement artistique à Amiens (12 March 2022-28 August 2022). It also had been the occasion of numerous pedagogic projects, re-placing the plaster casts at their original role: educating the eye and the hand.
Keywords: Amiens, plaster, plaster casts, exhibition, collection, arts education, model.