The Madeleine de Galéa collection

Bébé Jumeau Lioretgraph
Biscuit, bois, yeux en verre, coton, soie, cuir, cheveux en mohair, alliage métallique
Collection NMNM, n° 1967.2.18
Photo NMNM/Daniel Mille

The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco holds an important collection of antique dolls, gathered by Madeleine de Galéa throughout her life (1874-1956), then donated to the Principality of Monaco by her grandson, Christian de Galéa, in 1962. This collection, composed of 400 objects, is particularly representative of the history of toys and fashion in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Madeleine de Galéa’s collection was exhibited at the Villa Sauber, National Museum of Monaco, from 1972 to 2008. It was then quickly packed to free up exhibition space and has since been kept in storage.

The conservation and restoration works for this collections began in 2017, with the objectives of recoiling and reworking the inventory; carrying out a health assessment; and improving the conditions of conservation and accessibility to the objects (stabilization of evolving damage, dusting, marking, improved packaging, photography).

The materials, typologies, manufacturers, could be identified. Here is a selection of images of these dolls in wood, composition and wax, porcelain and cookie from the houses of Simonne, Jumeau, Huret Rohmer, Schmitt, Gaultier, Steiner, Bru and S.F.B.J.


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