Château Dufresne
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THE RESTORATION
Built between 1915-1918, this double residence was designed by Parisian architect Jules Renard and Marius Dufresne in the Beaux-Arts style. The architects based their plans on the Petit Trianon erected in the park of the Palace of Versailles in France. This 40-room building served as the residence for Marius Dufresne, an architect and engineer, and his brother Oscar, a businessman—two personalities who played a crucial role in the history of the city of Maisonneuve (annexed to the City of Montreal in 1919). The residence was one of the highlights of Maisonneuve, a city inspired by the American City Beautiful movement, and it stands as an exceptional example of Beaux-Arts style in Canada. Originally, the building was divided into two separate households, one for each brother. The interior was adorned with a series of murals and ceilings by Guido Nincheri in the 1920s and 1930s. Known for his piety and religious inclinations, the secular subjects of the interior decoration of Château Dufresne are an exception in Nincheri's artistic career. Alfred Faniel, a Belgian artist, also decorated the house during the same period. Upon Marius Dufresne's death in 1948, the Dufresne family sold the property to the Holy Cross Fathers, who used it as an educational institution attached to the College. Many scenes from works deemed too suggestive were covered with an additional layer of paint. In 1957, the City of Montreal acquired the building. The College of Sainte-Croix remained the official tenant until 1961. From 1963 to 1968, the property housed the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art before remaining vacant for eight years. During this period, it was left unmaintained, unheated, squatted on several occasions, and suffered considerable damage. Located near the future site of the 1976 Olympic Games and facing the Botanical Garden, Mayor Jean Drapeau invited David Stewart to consider the future of the building a year before the global event. After visiting the structure, he enthusiastically accepted the challenge and initiated, through the MacDonald Stewart Foundation, an extensive restoration program that would last four years. The work included ceilings, walls, paneling, plaster, windows, floors, stairs, plumbing, and electricity, as well as Nincheri's frescoes. After all these renovations, the question arose of what to do with this majestic building. Collecting decorative art objects for several years with his wife Liliane, it was decided, with the valuable advice of renowned experts, to use the building to house a museum dedicated to decorative arts—the first in Canada entirely devoted to the creative heritage of the twentieth century. Thus, the Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts was inaugurated in 1979. The museum's history is available on its website. With the continuous enrichment of collections and its importance in the museum scene, it became evident that more exhibition space was needed than Château Dufresne could offer. In 1997, new facilities designed by the renowned architect Frank Gehry became available at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to accommodate the museum. Château Dufresne lost its role as a modern contemporary art venue but remains a magnificent period residence to visit and interpret. Designated a historical monument by the Government of Quebec in 1999, the building housed the Museum of Château Dufresne in partnership with the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve History Workshop. In 2020, the museum took on a new name, becoming the Château Dufresne, Museum, and Heritage Historic Site. The preservation of Château Dufresne as a historical monument in Montreal is closely linked to the collaboration of the City of Montreal and the vision and support of the MacDonald Stewart Foundation. |
Click on individual photos below to enlarge.
Restauration photos
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