The Zadkine Museum is dedicated to the works of Ossip Zadkine with some works by his wife Valentine Prax. The museum is in the 6th Arrondissment of Paris close to the Luxembourg Gardens and the Montparnasse Cemetery.
Explore the Zadkine Museum
France This Way review: This gem of a museum is free to visit unless there are exhibitions taking place. It houses a great collection of Zadkine's work.
Ossip Zadkine was born in Russia in 1888 but was sent to Sunderland in the UK to learn English in 1907 where he studied wood sculpture at his local art school.
He later moved to London and studied classical sculpture.
In 1909 he moved to Paris and studied at the Beaux Arts of Paris. In 1911 he started exhibiting and started meeting artists such as Picasso and Matisse and became friends with Modigliani.
Zadkine was an ambulance driver in WW1 at the end of which he declared himself "physically and morally destroyed by war".
Soon after the war he married Valentine Prax, a French painter who grew up in French Algeria.
In 1928 with both their careers taking off Zadkine and Prax bought their house and studio on Rue d'Assas in Paris which is now the museum.
In 1934 they bought a house in Les Arques which was large enough to house four studies and where many of Zadkine's sculptures were created.
During WW2 Zadkine had to flee to the US as he was half-Jewish. Prax stayed in France to try to save their studios and works from the Germans.
Some sculptures were hidden in the basements of their friends and neighbours but many of Zadkine's paintings were destroyed rather than let them fall to the Germans.
Meanwhile Zadkine settled in Greenwich Village in New York. He was unhappy there but exhibited some of his work with other exiled artists such as Chagall and Lipschitz.
On his return he created some of his best known works including the incredible 'La Ville Détruite' or 'The Destroyed City' inspired by the destruction of Rotterdam in the war.
This can be seen in the garden of the Zadkine Museum (see main photo above.)
The museum tour begins in the former studios of Zadkine and Prax and these rooms with their large windows house the larger indoor sculptures including his Venus caryatid carved from pear wood.
There are also various carvings of heads carved from various materials such as limestone and volcanic rock.
The exhibition then leads through some of the rooms where Zadkine and Prax lived and paintings by both artists can be seen in these rooms. Also in the porch that was once the entrance to the house Zadkine's golden bird is on display.
In the small but verdant garden are some of Zadkine's large sculptures including 'the Destroyed City'. A huge, 6.5 meter version of this can be seen in the dock area of Rotterdam.
Also on display is the bronze sculpture called 'La Foret Humaine', 'The Human Forest' where human and plant forms are mixed.
Zadkine is considered one of the masters of Cubist sculpture and later created his own style influenced by Greek and African art. Examples of his changing and developing style can be seen in the museum.
The Zadkine Museum can be found at 100 bis, Rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris
The museum is free to enter except when there is an exhibition taking place. It is recommended to book ahead when there is an exhibition.
The museum is open most days from 10 am to 6pm. It is closed Mondays and some bank holidays.
If you are interested in seeing more of Zadkine's work you can visit the Musée Zadkine in the village of Les Arques in the Lot department which holds more of his works.
Some of his sculptures are also to be found inside and outside of the Saint Laurent church.
Zadkine and Prax bought a house in the village in the 1930s and lived and worked here as well as in Paris. As well as working, Zadkine also taught sculpture at the Academie de la Grande-Chaumiere.
Zadkine died in 1967 and in 1981 Prax dies and leaves her estate to the City of Paris to create the Zadkine Museum.
Attractions nearby
Also to visit in the Montparnasse area of Paris are the Cemetery of Montparnasse where Zadkine is buried, and the Musée Bourdelle. Antoine Bourdelle was also an important sculptor of the early 20th century.
Paris is a wonderful city full of sights and museums to explore.
You can find more travel ideas in the Paris region guide.
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Photos of Zadkine Museum
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Places to visit near Zadkine Museum
Jardin du Luxembourg
The Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most extensive and most popular public parks in Paris
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Montparnasse Cemetery
The Montparnasse Cemetery is Paris' second largest cemetery and many well known figures are buried there including Jean-Paul Sartre.
Montparnasse Cemetery guide
Catacombs
For a different side of Paris, explore the ancient catacombs in tunnels underneath the city
Catacombs guide
Pantheon
The 18th century Pantheon was originally to be a church based on the pantheon in Rome, but is actually used as a temple to honour the great and good from the world of French arts
Pantheon guide
Church Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The Church Saint-Germain-des-Prés is an ancient (6th century origins) church in the Latin Quarter of Paris
Church Saint-Germain-des-Prés guide
Arenes de Lutece
The Arenes de Lutece, a Roman amphitheatre, is the oldest monument in Paris
Arenes de Lutece guide