About
The Fondation William Cuendet & Atelier Saint-Prex was created in 1977 by the heirs of the late William Cuendet, pastor and print collector, and by the printmakers of the Atelier de Saint-Prex.
The aim of the founders was to create a Prints Cabinet in the canton of Vaud that would reflect the interest of the region's enthusiasts in the secrets of printing: the guiding idea was to bring together under one roof both the masterpieces of the past and the contemporary productions resulting from the magical combination of paper, ink, the press and the skills of men, artists and craftsmen. This ambitious project led to the creation of the Cabinet Cantonal des estampes, which was first housed at the Musée de l'Élysée in Lausanne from 1980 to 1983 and now at the Musée Jenisch in Vevey since 1986.
The driving force behind the Fondation William Cuendet & Atelier de Saint-Prex in Lausanne in 1977 was a common desire, expressed by collectors, artists and museum curators alike, to bring together the disparate entities and energies that undergird the art of printmaking. On the one hand, the Fondation would support the collection, preservation, and display of the historical prints—works by Dürer, Rembrandt, Corot, and others—that the vicar William Cuendet acquired in his lifetime. On the other, it would promote the active creation of works by young printmakers wishing to put their mark on that ongoing tradition. The hope of finding a common home to preserve and exhibit these priceless treasures led to this joint venture. The Fondation, together with the aid and interest of the State of Vaud, also led to the creation of the Cabinet Cantonal des Estampes, which was housed from 1979 to 1983 in the restored Musée de l'Elysée building in Lausanne, and then, from 1987 onwards, in the Musée Jenisch in Vevey.
Over the past thirty years, the founders' determination has been put into action. Countless lovers of prints, whether artists, writers or collectors, from neighbouring countries and far-flung regions, have developed important and productive relationships through the Fondation. Artists have met here to pass along various secrets of the trade—those tried, tested, forgotten and renewed techniques so crucial to a vibrant culture of printmaking. The Fondation has initiated and supported countless ambitious projects, including exhibitions, lecture series, catalogues raisonnés, and other publications, and it has done exchanges with many foreign museums. Finally, the Fondation’s collection, based on its original core bequests, has grown considerably, thanks to the prints donated by the engravers who came to work at the Saint-Prex studio, as well as to important private donations from artists, artists' heirs, patrons and enthusiasts who understand the value of this significant resource. Today, the collection is housed in the Prints and Drawings Department of the Musée Jenisch in Vevey, Switzerland, and includes more than 12,000 pieces. These successes illustrate the obvious passion that so many have had for printmaking, an art that is protean and complex, and which offers us continual new surprises.