Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence and spent most of his
life there, save for a decade in Paris and another ferrying
between Provence and the capital. He met writer Émile Zola at
school in Aix and the pair remained friends for years - until
Zola used Cézanne as the main inspiration for his character
Claude Lantet, a failed painter, in his novel
L'Oeuvre
(
The
Work
, 1886).
Provence was Cézanne's chief inspiration: the seaside vil-
lage of L'Estaque, the Bibémus quarries near Aix (said to have
inspired his cubist trials by their geometric character) and the
family house Jas de Bouffan in Aix appear in dozens of paint-
ings. But it was the Montagne Ste-Victoire that captivated him
the most, its radiance, shape and colours depicted in anything from impressionist to cubist
styles in no less than 30 oil paintings and 45 water colours.
Sadly, Cézanne's admiration for Provence was not mutual: few of Aix's conservative
bourgeoisie appreciated Cézanne's departure from the creed of classical painting and there
were even calls for him to leave the city.
In 1902 Cézanne moved into a purpose-built studio, Les Lauves, from where he did
much of his painting until his death in 1906. The studio has been left untouched and is one
of the most poignant insights into his art.
Cézanne Sights
»Atelier Paul Cézanne, Aix-
en-Provence
»Le Jas de Bouffan, Aix-en-
Provence
»Carrières de Bibemus, Aix-
en-Provence
»L'Estaque
Renoir
In 1892 impressionist doyen Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), started to develop
rheumatoid arthritis. The condition gradually worsened and in 1907 doctors ordered Ren-
oir to move to the sunny climes of Cagnes-sur-Mer in a bid to alleviate his pains.
Renoir bought a farm, Les Colettes, where he lived until his death. Far from being a re-
tirement home however, Renoir enjoyed a new lease of life in the south of France and
painted vigorously throughout his twilight years. Although he had to adapt his painting
technique - he was wheelchair-bound and suffered from ankylosis in his shoulder - many
credit his late works with displaying the same joy and radiance that were the hallmark of
his earlier (and most famous) works.
Les Colettes is now the Musée Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer, where you can see Renoir's
studio, a few of his works and the stunning garden; it was undergoing substantial renova-
tions in 2012 and was slated for re-opening in summer 2013.
