After two years of meticulous renovation, the historic Lurçat house-studio in Paris has reopened to the public, showcasing a century-old architectural gem that remains strikingly modern. As the first of eight artist houses built in Villa Seurat near Montsouris Park, this remarkable structure demonstrates how innovative design can transcend time.
In the 1920s, the artistic elite of the era, including painter Jean Lurçat, frequently gathered in the vibrant Montparnasse district. However, rising real estate prices were already forcing artists to seek alternatives. Unable to secure a studio in the heart of the bustling 14th arrondissement, Lurçat, who would later become the driving force behind the 20th-century tapestry revival, found refuge on the outskirts of the Petit-Montrouge neighborhood near the Montsouris reservoir.
Jean's younger brother André, an architect trained at the École des Beaux-Arts, was a prominent member of the post-war modern movement alongside Le Corbusier, Perret, and Mallet-Stevens. This architectural revolution was characterized by bold volumetric play, austere facades, large bay windows, roof terraces, and the abandonment of traditional symmetry. André also maintained close ties with Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus movement.
In 1925, André discovered a plot of land occupied by hangars and stables where he would construct a house-studio for his brother Jean. Building on this success, André went on to design seven additional artist residences in this quiet cul-de-sac of the 14th arrondissement, creating Villa Seurat. These homes were built for notable figures including writer Frank Townshend, sculptor Arnold Huggler, and painters Edouard Goerg and Marcel Gromaire. The only exception was the building at 7 bis, the former studio of sculptor Chana Orloff, which was designed by Auguste Perret.
Perret's distinctive structure features an exposed concrete portico characteristic of the architect who would later oversee the reconstruction of Le Havre. The building incorporates a checkerboard brick panel and two red doors topped with a glass wall, creating a harmonious contrast with the nearby white facades and smooth plaster coating of Jean Lurçat's house-studio.
The Lurçat house-studio reopened to the public in early July following an extensive renovation project led by the Academy of Fine Arts, which has owned the property since 2010 after inheriting it from the artist's widow, Simone Lurçat. The restoration has returned this now-centenarian building to its former glory, revealing its incredible modernity. As renowned architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who designed the building's scenography, explains, the renovation provides "a space worthy of Jean Lurçat, a prolific artist who was very contemporary and multitalented, expressing himself through stained glass, textiles, painting, and ceramics."
Each space within the house-studio highlights a different facet of the creator's work, including tapestries, ceramics, paintings, illustrations, and poems, while revealing his living and working environment. The upper floors house the kitchen, bedroom, and living room, all restored to their original state with period décor, including furniture partially designed by André himself.
The tour culminates in the third-floor studio, which opens onto a terrace decorated by the artist himself. From this vantage point, visitors enjoy an unobstructed view of Villa Seurat, a peaceful street that now forms one of the capital's three main modern movement ensembles, alongside the Le Corbusier and Jeanneret houses in Square du Docteur-Blanche and Rue Mallet-Stevens in the 16th arrondissement.
The house-studio visit offers an immersive experience into the universe of two brothers whose talents mutually nourished each other in service of a total work of art that seamlessly blends arts, architecture, and intimacy. Visitors can complement their experience at the Lurçat bookstore, which opened in December 2024 at the corner of Villa Seurat, offering art books, exhibition catalogs, Academy publications, and an extensive children's section.
