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The Russian born artist and sculptor Ossip Zadkine settled in Paris in 1910. In 1928 he moved to the rue d’Assas where he lived and worked in the (now museum) house/studio until his death in 1967. Zadkine was part of the Cubist movement (1914-25) and his work is said to have been influenced by aspects of the primitive arts as well as by his experiences as a stretcher-bearer in the First World War. Look out for one of his best known pieces in the garden: La Ville Détruite: a memorial to the destruction of Rotterdam by the Germans in 1940.

Thoughtfully arranged in this lilliputian gallery are some 300 or so sculptures in wood, clay, marble, bronze and stone, in addition to drawings, photographs and tapestries. Inside, light from the huge atelier (studio) windows illuminates these intriguing works – some subtly sensual, others intricate and obscure – against the oak-floor and white-walled interior.

Outside in the semi-wild garden, powerful, contorted metal structures sprawl amid the greenery whilst twisting metallic limbs and sections of intertwined machinery protrude from the foliage.

Far off the standard Paris museum trail, the Zadkine allows for a more intimate glimpse at the life and works of an inspiring and influential artist.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Musee Zadkine | Art & culture | Free
100 bis rue d’Assas | Montparnasse | +33155427720
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00