Hazard gallery
The Galerie Hazard: a little-known jewel of the Valois region
Nestled in the heart of the village of Orrouy, in the south of Oise, Galerie Hazard is a unique witness to the artistic history of the XIXᵉ century. Behind its sober red brick façade lies the dream of a passionate collector: Nicolas-Auguste Hazard (1834-1913). A friend and neighbor of Count Armand Doria, another great art lover living at Château d’Orrouy, he had this long orangery built to house an exceptional collection of modern paintings.
A showcase for modern art
Between 1890 and 1900, thanks to Hazard and Doria, Orrouy became an unsuspected Mecca for contemporary painting. In his private gallery, Nicolas-Auguste Hazard brought together works from the Barbizon School, Realism and Impressionism: Corot, Troyon, Daumier, Boudin, Diaz de la Peña and Renoir. This eclecticism illustrates his taste for landscapes and scenes of modern life, but also his interest in the artists of his time, some of whom were still controversial.
A collection now dispersed
On his death in 1913, the collection was sold at Hôtel Drouot in 1919. It was a major event in the art market, with works by Renoir and Maximilien Luce going under the hammer. The paintings may have left Orrouy, but the building remains, still bearing the memory of this past splendor.
A protected heritage
Having seen a variety of uses over the course of the XXᵉ century, notably as a convalescent home, the Galerie Hazard was listed as a Monument Historique in 2019. Today, it still stands proudly just a stone’s throw from the village church.