“This house in which there was no furniture or ornaments,
was filled up by the presence of the artist, there existed a visible harmony
between the two.” Georges Riviere, art
critic
Last year I had the unique experience of visiting Paul Cezanne’s
(1839-1906) studio in Aix en Provence, France.
It was the last studio Cezanne would have and he would spend four productive
years painting there. The studio was
build under Cezanne’s direction and completed in 1902. The plot of land was selected to offer a view
of Cezanne’s muse and often-painted motif, Mont Sainte Victoire. It is estimated that Cezanne painted his
beloved mountain over 100 times.
Painting by Cezanne of Mont Sainte Victoire.
I visited with my daughter on a drizzly afternoon in April. Lilacs
and other flowering trees were blooming outside the studio. The building is a solid
structure, with a yellow stucco exterior and muted salmon colored shutters. While none of Cezanne’s paintings are on view at
the studio you get a sense of the artist through what is left behind, his still
life props, easel and other accouterments.
This presence and sense of the artist is the reason I love visiting
artist’s studios and homes.
Cezanne's studio, interior view.
Cezanne is said to have kept regular business hours for
painting. He arrived at the studio in the
morning and worked until evening surrounded by the blue gray walls and the
cherished objects, bowls, sculptures and skulls, that fill his canvasses. Large windows offered both southern and
northern exposures.
After Cezanne’s death in 1906 the studio was not used
for 15 years. Cezanne’s son sold the studio in 1921 and finally the studio
opened to the public in 1952.
A still life painting by Cezanne featuring objects in his studio.
If you are in Provence I highly recommend a visit to the
studio as a homage to Cezanne and his masterful works. For more information on visiting the studio go to
Love this post! You must be getting excited about going to France again. Liz
ReplyDelete