Musée Dapper ferme

Set up in Amsterdam, in 1983, at the instigation of its current President, Michel Leveau, the Olfert Dapper Foundation takes its name from a xviith-century Dutch humanist who, despite never leaving his native country, wrote an encyclopaedic Description of Africa, first published in 1668.

The purpose of this private non-profit organisation is to raise the profile of sub-Saharan Africa's artistic heritage and contribute to its conservation, by staging exhibitions and awarding research bursaries.

In May 1986, the Foundation opened its own moseum in Paris, the Musée Dapper, directed by Christiane Falgayrettes-Leveau. This event was marked by the simultaneous staging of three exhibitions: Ouvertures sur l'art africain at the Musée des Arts décoratifs, and Cabinets de curiosités au XVIIe siècle and Figures de reliquaire dites kota in its own exhibition space at 50 Avenue Victor Hugo (16th arrondissement) - a mansion built in 1901 by the architect Charles Plumet.