Born in Laval, France, Robert Tatin had worked as a sculptor, painter, architect, ceramicist, and decorator before beginning his largest project. From 1924 until World War II, he also traveled widely throughout Europe. Following the war, he established a ceramics studio in Paris and joined a circle of artists that regenerated France’s cultural life after the war. In 1950, once again he left France for ten years to travel throughout South America.
In 1962, at age sixty, he purchased an old house in a small neighborhood in Laval. For the next 21 years, he worked on a garden gallery that reflected his life experiences and worldview. With the help of his wife Lise, Tatin initially constructed a temple-like building next to their home and designed its entranceway like an enormous dragon’s mouth. The maw of the dragon leads to a garden surrounded by sculptures and decorated walls.
Stone bas-reliefs and sculptures create a bridge between the cultures of the West and East. The 6.5-meter statue of the Lady of All the World rises at the center of the garden. In addition, there is the Sun Gate to the east of the statue, and the Gate of the Moon to the west. A small pond is encircled by symbolic structures belonging to the twelve months, and the garden itself is surrounded by bays displaying Tatin’s paintings and ceramics. Tatin later erected 19 more statues representing the most notable artists along the road leading to the museum. Eventually, the site became an official Musée de France in 2002.
