The Museum`s collections of Spanish, Italian, German, Flemish and Dutch art are its foundation, making it an art lover`s dream. Visitors to the Museum can thank Napoleon for his decree that artistic treasures should not be kept away from the people in the palaces of the aristocracy and the bishops. As the French Empire extended, other countries` treasures were seized and later divided within France. Lille received 46 paintings, many of them renowned masterpieces.
