Edouard André, born in a rich Protestant family under the Second Empire, decided to move in the Plaine Monceau district, where the famous banker Rothschild lived. In 1868, architect Parent raised a beautiful townhouse, inspired by the 18th century. The inauguration took place in 1875: an event where all the Parisian upper crust came!
But when the Second Empire collapsed, André decided to stand back in order: he devoted himself to his passion, art. In 1872, he became the president of the Central Union of Arts Décoratifs. He was rich, so André decided to transform his house into a true 18th century museum, with furniture, paintings, and so on. Then... André fell in love with Nellie Jacquemart, a painter.
They married in 1881. Nellie immediately supported her husband's idea! She dealed with the Renaissance collections from Italy, that they bought few weeks later: in 1892, they opened the "Italian museum"... Her husband died, but Nellie went on. She gave their house to the Institut de France, on condition that they opened it to the public: it will be done in 1913!