Organizer Information

The Musée Fabre is one of France’s most significant fine arts museums, located in Montpellier and founded in 1825 by the painter François-Xavier Fabre. Over time, it has developed into a major European cultural institution through continuous enrichment by artists, collectors, and patrons such as Alfred Bruyas, Alexandre Cabanel, Frédéric Bazille, Pierre Soulages, and others whose donations have shaped the museum’s identity.

The museum houses an extensive collection spanning from the Renaissance to contemporary art, displayed across more than 9,000 m² of exhibition space. Following a major renovation completed in 2007, the institution has become a key cultural hub in southern France, welcoming approximately 300,000 visitors annually. Beyond its collection, the museum is actively engaged in public programming, educational initiatives, interdisciplinary events, and community-oriented cultural mediation, aiming to make art accessible, inclusive, and socially engaging.

Within this context, the museum also supports research activities, particularly those that contribute to the historical understanding of 19th-century art and Impressionism, through specialized funding programs such as the François Daulte research fellowship.

Title & Description

François Daulte Research Fellowship (2026–2027)

The François Daulte Fellowship is an annual research grant established by the Musée Fabre to support advanced academic research in art history, with a strong focus on 19th-century French painting and Impressionism.

The fellowship is named after François Daulte, a prominent art historian known for his foundational scholarship on Frédéric Bazille and Impressionist networks. The museum preserves a significant archival collection related to Daulte, including manuscripts, correspondence, and rare letters from key Impressionist figures such as Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir.

The purpose of this fellowship is twofold:

  1. To support original academic research aligned with the museum’s archival holdings and historical collections.
  2. To encourage scholarly production that contributes to broader understanding of Impressionism, its networks, and its cultural contexts.

Applicants are expected to develop research projects that engage directly with topics such as the life and work of Frédéric Bazille, Alfred Sisley, Auguste Renoir, the early development of Impressionism, the circulation of graphic arts, collecting practices, and the cultural history of Montpellier in the late 19th century.

Selected researchers are expected to produce a scholarly publication (digital or print) within two years following the award period.

Categories

  • Art History Research
  • Visual Arts Studies
  • Cultural History
  • Archival Research
  • Impressionism Studies
  • 19th Century European Art
  • Museum Studies
  • Humanities / Academic Research

Eligibility

  • Open to international applicants
  • Applicants must be either:
    • Enrolled PhD candidates (doctoral researchers), or
    • Holders of a completed PhD degree
  • Applicants may submit in French or English
  • Research proposals must be fully completed and submitted by the deadline
  • Strong alignment with 19th-century art history and Impressionism-related topics is required

Program Benefits & Awards

  • Total grant value: €10,000
  • Payment structure:
    • €8,000 awarded after official ceremony
    • €2,000 paid upon submission of final publication
  • Access to Musée Fabre archival resources, including the François Daulte collection
  • Academic visibility through association with a major European museum
  • Institutional support for scholarly publication
  • Opportunity to contribute to museum-led research initiatives
  • Selected projects are expected to be publicly recognized and may be integrated into broader museum research discourse

Application Fee

None

Application Requirements

  • A 4-page research project description (excluding bibliography and images), including:
    • Research objectives
    • Methodology
    • Work timeline
    • Budget proposal
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV), including:
    • Publications
    • Research projects
    • Conferences and academic activities
    • Teaching experience
  • Letter of intent (motivation letter)
  • Doctoral thesis report (if applicable)
  • Optional letter of recommendation from an academic authority
  • Completed and signed official application form (to be downloaded separately)

All materials must be submitted in a single digital application package.

How to Apply?

The Application Form, duly completed, dated, and signed, is to be sent to: vanessa.furdin@montpellier.fr
Subject line: Bourse François Daulte

Key Dates

  • Application Deadline: 30 November 2026
  • Selection results: January 2027
  • Fellowship award ceremony: May 2027
  • Research output deadline: within 2 years after award (by 2029)

Location

Musée Fabre, France

Additional Details

  • Selection is conducted by a jury of seven experts, including museum leadership, patrons, curators specializing in 19th-century art, and external academic specialists.
  • Only 4–5 candidates will be selected.
  • The jury reserves the right not to award the fellowship if submissions do not meet quality standards.
  • The jury decision is final and non-appealable.
  • Successful applicants must enter into a formal contractual agreement with the museum.
  • Any resulting publication must acknowledge the fellowship and include the Musée Fabre logo.
  • The research is expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the study of the Daulte archival fonds and related Impressionist collections.

Website Link: https://www.museefabre.fr/