Queen Jeanne's pavilion
A historic house in the little port of Malmousque transformed into an art gallery
In autumn 2023, Galerie Alexis Pentcheff, which for the past fifteen years has been located at 131, rue Paradis, a well-known address for collectors in downtown Marseille, will move to a historic building overlooking the sea in the Malmousque district (7th arrondissement).
In the heart of this little port hidden beneath the Corniche Kennedy, where the spirit of the cabanons of the last century lives on, the new gallery, with its privileged access to the sea, is an ideal showcase for paintings.
Only the location has changed, the gallery team remains the same, as does its specialty, French painting of the 19th and 20th centuries, with a particular attraction for works inspired by the Mediterranean.
However, the configuration of this new project has enabled us to open an eye to contemporary creation, and we will be devoting some time to it in our programming.
From now on, you'll be able to visit us at 10, Chemin du Génie in Malmousque and see the gallery's various exhibitions of paintings, in the Pavillon de la Reine Jeanne, an old seaside mansion that has been completely restored and redesigned as an art gallery.
The history of the house: from restaurant to art gallery
Overlooking the small port of Malmousque, Pavillon de la Reine Jeanne was built by architect Jean-Pierre Costa between 1888 and 1908. Once completed, the house was initially called Pavillon Saint-Louis, and when the builder died, his daughter inherited it. She lived there for some time before renting it out. Between 1914 and 1923, the pavilion was occupied by the director of a silk spinning mill, and the house was temporarily called “Pavillon de la Fileuse”.
The building was first sold in 1926, then requisitioned by the Germans in 1940.
In 1944, Monsieur Pieri acquired the property. Goldsmith and founder of the Piery brand, created in 1930, the new owner, an entrepreneur at heart, decided to house a restaurant serving seafood: Reine Jeanne. With its large terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, its colorful umbrellas and its lobster tank, the restaurant attracted a privileged clientele who came by boat.
Then Jean Pieri, preoccupied with the development of his jewelry store, abandoned the restaurant. For a time, the house was inhabited only part of the year, before his daughter and son-in-law moved in to raise their three daughters peacefully. With their daughters gone, the two of them stayed on, happily welcoming their grandchildren to La Reine Jeanne for the vacations, but the weight of the house was beginning to weigh heavily on their shoulders as they aged. They trusted us to give new life to this historic building in Malmousque, where we decided to house the gallery and host new exhibitions.
Renovation of the Pavillon de la Reine Jeanne
Substantial structural work was required before the house could once again welcome the public in complete safety. The sea had taken its toll, and it took almost two years of renovation work, not to mention lengthy preliminary studies and numerous administrative hassles, to restore the house to the appearance it might have had at the turn of the century, according to archive photos found, right down to the facade modenature and mantling. Architect Bertrand Guillon, assisted by his collaborators, supervised the project.
The entire first floor is devoted to the gallery, a space of some 200 m2, a large part of which is reserved for exhibitions, with the sea in the background.
Underneath the house, artist residencies will allow the gallery to host living art projects.
The Pavillon de la Reine Jeanne is now open to the people of Marseilles, as well as to collectors and art lovers visiting the city who wish to discover the gallery's exhibitions and collections.
From time to time, the gallery is used for film shoots or photo shoots for prestigious brands, seduced by this enchanting maritime setting.
