Sylvain Amic Named Chairman of MusÉe d’Orsay

Sylvain Amic, onetime chair of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen in Normandy, France, has been appointed chairman of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, effective April 24. He succeedsChristophe Leribault, who served a little more than two years in the role before being named chair of the Château de Versailles this past February. Amic, who is known for his relaxed management style, faces the unpleasant task of implementing deep governmental budget cuts, which were made across the cultural sector. As well, he will oversee a major rehang of the museum’s collection and the renovation of the institution’s entrance hall, both of which are already under way; too, he will shepherd the creation of the Orsay’s new research center, set to open in 2026.

Born in Dakar in 1967, Amic initially became a teacher, like his parents, before becoming a curator in 1997. In 2000, he joined the Musée Fabre in Montpellier, France, where he oversaw the museum’s collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century art. He left that role in 2011 to become director of the Rouen museum: While there, he organized a consortium of eleven local museums and venues and established an annual Impressionist festival. In 2022, he left the institution to serve as adviser to Rima Abdul Malak, who was at that time France’s minister of culture.

“Sylvain Amic distinguished himself by the excellence of his project, his attention to the territories, his remarkable successes when he was at the head of the museums of Rouen, and a spirit of innovation that everyone recognizes,” said French culture minister Rachida Dati in a statement. “I am pleased, along with the president of the Republic, to entrust him with the reins of one of the most important cultural institutions in our country.” Amic, who was selected for the job by French president Emmanuel Macron on Dati’s recommendation, beat out an impressive pool of candidates including: Xavier Rey, director of the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris; Olivia Voisin, director of the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans, France; Sylvie Patry, artistic director of Paris gallery Kamel Mennour; and Olivier Gabet, who leads the Decorative Arts Department at the Louvre, Paris.