The Museum Foundation

Giving is a symbolic and personal act, but it also serves as a bridge between generations. François Schubert is a model of this type of giving, which enables the MMFA to carry out exciting projects while at the same time acknowledging contributions by the remarkable people in the big Museum family who have forever left their mark.

Mr. Schubert could tell more than a few stories about his travels around the world. A renowned pharmaco-economist and a polyglot, he has worked in Canada, the United States and Europe, in both the hospital setting and in the pharmaceutical industry. He developed his love of art with his wife, Marie, and his in-laws. When they returned from their travels, Marie would organize outings; the MMFA was a favourite destination, where they took pleasure in discovering and journeying through art. It is this love of art that has shaped the Museum over the years. Marie Pineau’s parents also loved the Museum. Her mother, a regular visitor, sponsored a seat in Bourgie Hall and even moved to be closer to her favourite “playground.” In 2012, shortly after her mother’s death, Marie paid tribute to her parents by establishing the Adrienne D’Amours Pineau and René Pineau memorial fund. This fund made it possible to acquire two major works: Funeral of a Naval Officer under Louis XVI (1836) by Eugène Isabey, and a Sèvres porcelain breakfast service called “Déjeuner” (1811). This was the first of many gifts that attested to Marie and François’s desire to honour the memory of their loved ones.

Marie Pineau died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2017. The death of this steadfast friend of the Museum was commemorated by a testamentary bequest she had planned with her husband, which enabled the Museum to acquire a pair of vases for its decorative arts collection: Fire and Water from the Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory. As a lasting tribute to his wife, Mr. Schubert also decided to fund the major restoration of a vase from the Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Berlin (eighteenth century), recently rediscovered in our reserves by Sylvain Cordier, Curator of Early Decorative Arts.

Mr. Schubert believes it is vital not only to encourage the MMFA, which his wife was so fond of, but also to support an institution that needs financial resources for the conservation of its collections and for all the operations associated with its cultural and social functions.

Giving back has always played a key role at the MMFA. It enables the Museum to change, look to the future, and undertake major projects. We encourage you to follow the example of François Schubert and Marie Pineau and honour your loved ones in an institution that is important to you.

We wanted to honour our inimitably stylish and witty mother, Louise Pelletier Druckman, who had a passion for many things and a curiosity for even more. The MMFA was her happy place. For over forty years, she revelled in being a volunteer guide and devoted much time to the task. She loved taking classes at the Museum and at Montreal universities to help prepare for every new exhibition that she was to guide. Widely read, she would devour everything she could get her hands on, from anywhere and everywhere, about the artist or period. She was a regular customer at the Strand bookstore in New York City and delighted in bringing home her newfound discoveries. She collected over a thousand art books, and each one was read cover to cover. The Museum was her space to engage and share her knowledge with the world, namely tourists, students and her specialty, the visually impaired. She also created and organized the yearly Christmas tree displays, inviting various Montreal charities and organizations to symbolically decorate a tree as creatively as they could. The lobby was aglow with forty trees, each one telling a different story. This was always a highlight of the holiday season for all visitors to the Museum. Finally, it was at the Museum that she met some of her closest friends, dynamic people she would learn with and from, take classes with and go on Museum-run trips with around the world.

When looking for a place to honour her devotion and hard work, the MMFA had to be it.

Our families have special memories of our mother at the Museum and feel closer to her whenever we walk through its doors. Throughout her life, she taught us the importance of developing varied interests, staying curious, collecting and giving back. Through the MMFA, she taught us the importance of commitment, art, culture and embracing our differences. A museum is one of society’s great equalizers: anyone at any age and from any background can visit the Museum and get inspired by the beauty, drama and experiences on display. We chose to support the MMFA to encourage Museum visitors to find joy in its offerings and to benefit from the exchange of ideas, concepts, customs and traditions –engaging ways to evolve as a person and a world.

With gratitude, Rozlyn and Daphne, Louise’s daughters

I have been a frequent visitor to the institution as a donor and a member of the Angel Circle since 2017. In the beginning, what particularly attracted my partner and me were the lively events and the possibility of spending an enjoyable time together in that mecca for art.

Then, little by little, I found much more there than just opportunities for networking. With its warm welcome and creative activities bringing together donors, artists, experts and collectors, the MMFA has a unique way of making sure we feel good. It’s our Museum and, attending various events over time, we met people from many different backgrounds who all shared the same interest in art. That is so rewarding! 

The death of my father a few years ago made me understand the importance of good estate planning. On that basis, it seemed to me essential to indicate my final wishes in a will and ensure the creation of a cultural legacy.

My father not only instilled in me his optimism in respect to the future, but also his values, such as his love of literature and art. For me, the place of art in society is extremely important. Much more than simply providing access to beauty or a certain aestheticism, art fuels critical thinking and fosters reflection. And in addition to nurturing and enriching the mind, it can have a therapeutic aspect. A visit to the Museum is definitely one of the best ways to step back and get away from the hectic pace of our lives.

I made the decision to leave a bequest to the MMFA as I know that philanthropy is vital to the realization of its mission and enhances the scope of its cultural activities. The approach I have taken not only reveals my love of art, but also the very high regard I have for the MMFA. One part of my bequest will create a fund to acquire works by emerging young Quebec and Canadian artists that, besides expanding the MMFA collection, should give a boost to their careers. The other part of my bequest will provide support for carrying out major education and wellness projects at the MMFA. It is a wonderful way to give back to society—especially to Montreal, my hometown—and play an active part in enriching our collective artistic heritage!

For more information of donation by will, please contact:
Dalia Younsi
Director - Major & Planned Donations
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Office : 514-965-3692

Born in 1923 and originally from Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, Johannes Adrianus Maria van Schijndel, known as “Mr. Jan” immigrated to Canada at the age of 24. One of six children, he initially worked in the Canadian forestry industry, a field in which his family had excelled. It was around that time that his interest in collecting artifacts transformed into a passion.

A graduate of Sir George Williams, now known as Concordia, University, Mr. Jan worked as an engineer for various companies in Montreal. Still, art held a very special place in his heart and always played a major role in his life. An avid learner, history buff and eclectic collector, his taste for beauty was further influenced by his many travels.

Every inch of Mr. Jan’s Montreal apartment contained interesting things to touch and to admire—originals and reproductions—brought from far and wide or closer to home. When he was not there, family and close friends knew where to find him: at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. It was his museum and his second home, a place where he could indulge his love of art, learn about different cultures, and understand the world through the eyes of artists, whether old masters or emerging ones.

A member since 1987, Mr. Jan had a deep emotional commitment to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, its collections and mission. With no children of his own when he passed away in 2017 at the age of 94, his whole estate, worth approximately $450,000, was generously gifted to the Museum.

A family friend confirmed that he was not aware of the impact such a philanthropic gesture would have. As an immigrant, he felt it was only natural for him to give back to his museum, his city and the society that had enabled him to flourish. Most importantly, through his legacy Mr. Jan wished to provide support for future generations of artists— and have his passion for art shared by others.

For more information of donation by will, please contact:
Dalia Younsi
Director - Major & Planned Donations
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Office : 514-965-3692