Marie-Laure de Noailles
At the beginning of the 20th century, Marie-Laure de Noailles was one of those emblematic figures who gave rhythm to the artistic life of her peers and catalyzed her era. She organized memorable events, bringing together artists from all walks of life and renowned guests to collaborate and influence each other’s work. Together, they gave life to their imagination and their deepest aspirations.
The De Noailles Foundation for the Arts intends to perpetuate this spirit of creativity, discovery, daring and freedom, in order to transpose it to our contemporary reality.
De Noailles Foundation
for Art
Purpose
To enrich people’s lives through outstanding artistic experiences.
Passion
To support innovative creations and presentations of art, in its various forms and provide access to experiential learning through multi-sensory entertainment.
Marie-Laure de Noailles
At the beginning of the 20th century, Marie-Laure de Noailles was one of those emblematic figures who gave rhythm to the artistic life of her peers and catalyzed her era. She organized memorable events, bringing together artists from all walks of life and renowned guests to collaborate and influence each other’s work. Together, they gave life to their imagination and their deepest aspirations.
The De Noailles Foundation for the Arts intends to perpetuate this spirit of creativity, discovery, daring and freedom, in order to transpose it to our contemporary reality.
Our Philosophy
We believe that art
- cultivates intellect, stimulates emotion, thus contributing to individual and collective health and well-being
- fosters reflection, introspection and self-awareness
- connects people and ideas, builds a sense of belonging and reduces social isolation
In alignment with our values, we will
- encourage the development of art projects that lead to self-learning and sharing, by providing meaningful and stimulating experiences
- promote innovations that create the unexpected by breaking the boundaries between the conventional and the unconventional
- endorse projects that implement environmentally conscious initiatives
- democratize art and make it more accessible through interdisciplinary and intercultural connections and collaborations
- provide equitable access to those who would not otherwise have the means to experience art
- support Canadian artists and creators
Make a donation
Please contact us to make your donation.
Tax receipts will be issued.
contact us
De Noailles Foundation for Art
(11834070 Canada Fondation)
514 915-2225
305 Chemin Du Lac-Saint-Louis
Lery QC J6N 1A2
info@fnart.ca
Marie-Laure
de Noailles
Marie-Laure Henriette Anne, Vicomtesse de Noailles, née Bischoffsheim (October 31, 1902 – January 29, 1970) was a French artist, regarded as one of the 20th century’s most daring and influential patrons of the arts.
Assisted by her husband Charles, Vicomte de Noailles, Marie-Laure changed the course of art history by reinventing patronage and shaping it into the form we know today.
The couple became a model for the art of living, honouring some of the greatest couturiers, notably Schiaparelli, Saint-Laurent and Coco Chanel, and lending themselves to the lens of Beaton and Man Ray.
Very early in her life, Marie-Laure went beyond what was expected of a patron for the time, by reversing the trend. While artists were scrambling to get invited to the big Parisian balls in order to woo potential benefactors, she organized social events in their honour at her mansion at 11 Place des États-Unis in Paris. She pushed the limits and transmitted the taste for art by inciting her guests to demonstrate their creativity.
She was not only a collector of modern art and a lover of avant-garde cinema. She followed the evolution of emerging artists and took the lead as she developed their full potential. After viewing Un Chien Andalou, she and Charles commissioned Buñuel and Dalí to make the now cult film The Golden Age. She also forged links with the past. As a descendant of the Marquis de Sade, she worked towards giving him back his place in literature.
It was Marie-Laure who gave Dalí his first house, paid him a salary so that he could devote himself entirely to his art, and saved his gallery owner in Paris from bankruptcy. She even went so far as to create a club of anonymous patrons, called the Zodiac group, to support him.
In the Villa de Noailles in Hyères, which the couple commissioned from the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, Marie-Laure invited her protégés such as her childhood friend Jean Cocteau, Miro, Picasso, Georges Bataille, Maurice Heine, Francis Poulenc, Georges Auric, Jean Hugo, Jean-Michel Frank, Robert Desnos, Max Ernst, Paul Éluard, André Breton, et al and offered them the latitude to create. In all, Marie-Laure supported nearly 150 artists whose work we still admire today.
© Man Ray 2015 Trust /ADAGP, Paris 2023
The villa is not only a masterpiece of modern architectural heritage whose gardens are the creation of Gabriel Guévrékian, with the participation of Giacometti and Dalí above all, it symbolizes the birth of the concept of artists-in-residence, in a way that is still relevant today.
Marie-Laure was a polyglot and was ahead of her time in many ways. More often an inspiration than a benefactor, she certainly shattered the classic definition of patronage. But above all, history says that she was the first woman who dared to say… « merde”!