Impressive artworks have been on display at the Couvent des Jacobins in Toulouse since the beginning of summer, revealing a remarkable story of forgotten local history. Despite their deteriorated condition, these paintings hide a fascinating tale that has remained unknown to the public for decades.
The large canvases, painted by Toulouse artist Paul Gervais between the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of World War I during the period known as the "Belle Époque," are stretched out across several meters on the floor of the church's refectory. Their poor condition is immediately apparent to visitors, but their historical significance is extraordinary.
"I found these paintings that hadn't been unrolled in 70 years and were formerly located on Boulevard de Strasbourg in Toulouse," explains Pierre Catalo, conservation officer at the Couvent des Jacobins. The artworks had been stored away and forgotten for seven decades, hidden in the basement of the convent.
These paintings originally decorated the Café Sion, an establishment that was primarily frequented by Toulouse's bourgeoisie during the Belle Époque period. After the café disappeared, the artworks were stored in the basement of the Couvent des Jacobins, where they remained forgotten for dozens of years.
Today, only "a rather gloomy passage" remains where the former Café Sion once stood, according to Pierre Catalo. The surviving remnants of this historic gathering place in the Pink City are extremely rare. "These paintings are the only remaining decorative heritage still in existence," the conservator emphasizes.
The decision to display these works publicly represents a unique opportunity to shed light on a little-known part of Toulouse's history. "This was a period when industry was flourishing and Toulouse was following the trend of major Haussmann-style urban development projects. Places were needed to entertain the bourgeoisie," Pierre Catalo explains.
Unrolling these art pieces before the public eye also serves as a way to bring visitors behind the scenes of conservation work at the Couvent des Jacobins. Through September 28, guided tours allow spectators to understand why the paintings are now in such deplorable condition.
"There are parts that have disintegrated because they had been placed near a heating source," Pierre Catalo illustrates, pointing to the damage caused by poor storage conditions over the past decades.
The paintings' deteriorated state tells its own story of neglect. The canvases show clear signs of damage from inadequate conservation conditions during the recent decades, with sections that have literally fallen apart due to improper storage near heat sources.
At the end of September, the paintings will be rolled up again, this time under better conservation conditions. While they will not be restored due to budget constraints, repackaging could take place to improve their condition for future preservation.
"If we hadn't unrolled them this year, the paintings might never have been opened again," confides the conservator of these local historical treasures. This exhibition represents what may be the last opportunity for the public to see these unique artifacts that provide a window into Toulouse's Belle Époque era.
The temporary exhibition offers visitors a rare glimpse into both the city's cultural past and the challenging realities of art conservation. The paintings serve as tangible links to a bygone era when Toulouse's industrial prosperity supported a thriving bourgeois culture that sought entertainment and artistic refinement.
For those interested in experiencing this unique historical display, guided "flash" tours lasting 30 minutes are available on weekday mornings, while more detailed 45-minute tours take place in the afternoons. Both types of visits require advance booking through the Toulouse city hall website.
Ticket prices are set at five euros for adults and three euros for those under 18 and students. The exhibition provides an exceptional opportunity to witness both remarkable local history and the ongoing efforts to preserve cultural heritage, even when resources are limited.
The story of these rediscovered paintings reflects broader themes of urban development, cultural preservation, and the importance of maintaining connections to local history. Their temporary display at the Couvent des Jacobins represents a race against time to share these cultural treasures with the public before they must be stored away once again, hopefully under improved conditions that will ensure their survival for future generations.
