Tatin decided the house needed a wood store and it was this that launched him on an astonishing creative journey. He built a shed next to the house and let his imagination run wild, influenced by his time in South America. When the building was finished he thought it was too beautiful just to store wood, so he built another shed for storage. Once again, he let his creative spirit take over and once again, he felt the shed was too special just to hold wood. He built another, and another until eventually he ran out of space.
By now his artistic juices were well and truly flowing and Tatin wanted to build bigger and bolder and more imaginative rooms. He was told that if he declared his home and creations as a museum he would have more privileges. He applied for museum status and seven years later the house and buildings were approved and Tatin used the additional rooms he built to exhibit his paintings and sculptures. He carried on building until he died in 1983.
His legacy is a truly extraordinary and eccentric building in the middle of beautiful countryside. The rooms are filled with his minutely detailed, symbolic artworks. Discover wild, dramatic and magnificent paintings that are complex and fanciful. Incredible sculptures, larger than life and brilliantly bizarre designs make you smile.
Tatin is buried in the front garden of his beloved home. His house is exactly as it was when he died, even down to toothbrush and toothpaste, and slithers of soap in the bathroom. Every room bears the mark of his artistic genius - and it makes for a fabulous visit.
Website www.musee-robert-tatin.fr
Top left: view of Tatin's extraordinary house; bottom left: the alley of the giants; mid left: the original entrance to the house; above: the inner courtyard; mid left: one of Tatin's paintings; left: the artist's studio left as it was when he died.