Provence, a Region for Inspiration

Since the 19th century, southern France, especially the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region has inspired many famous painters. It attracts for its various landscapes, rich colours and particular light. Thanks to its unic cultural wealth, the French Riviera was a special place for liberty and experience. Lots of artists gather in artists’ studios in Antibes, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

Van Gogh, Picasso, Chagall, Monet, Renoir, but also Dufy, Matisse, Cocteau, Bonnard, Soutine, Derain, Cross, Boudin and Peynet immortalized the Provence and the Cote d’Azur during their stays or during their lives there.

The impressionists Cézanne, Monet, Degas and Renoir were very much inspired by the region. Renoir and Monet are the impresionnists who painted Provence the most. In Cagnes sur Mer, Renoir painted Paysages des Collettes, in 1914 and La Ferme des Collettes, in 1915. He was also inspired by the picturesque village of L’Estaque, near Marseille and painted L’Estaque. The village also inspired Braque, Derain and Dufy. As for Monet, he painted the town of Antibes (Antibes effet d'après-midi, 1888 and Antibes vue de la Salis, 1888).

Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence

Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence. He was really in love with his native region, which much marked himself and his work. He lived in Paris and Auvers-sur-Oise but every time he returned to his homeland, which much inspired him. He painted the Ste Victoire Mount around 80 times, but also the surrounding countryside, seaports, stone quarries and on cold days, he realised many still life paintings. The Bathers (les Grandes Baigneuses), one of his famous paintings aroused Picasso and Matisse’s interest. Cézanne lived and worked in Aix en Provence over a period of forty five years. According to him, “there are treasures to be taken away from [France], which has not yet found an interpreter worthy of the riches it offers”.

Van Gogh in St Rémy-de-Provence and Arles

Van Gogh arrived in Arles in 1888, intending to found a utopian art colony. He began painting local scenes and landscapes. Before coming in the region, his painting was very dark, as many Dutch painters’. In St Rémy de Provence, he introduced more colours in his work, as his famous painting The Sunflowers, for instance and can attest. Compare for instance the 1885 painting The Potato Eaters and the 1888 Bedroom, or the 1888 Yellow House, the property he rent during his stay Arles. Yellow meant to Van Gogh hope and friendship. Even when he painted the night, the result was much colourful during his time in Provence. The Starry Night (1889) and The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum at Night are amazing examples. After Van Gogh’s demand, Gauguin joined him in Arles and they painted together. They painted the Alyscamps in Arles. Van Gogh went for walks in the surrounding countryside and became soaked with images of olive trees, wheatfields and cypresses, which he introduced in his works.

Picasso in Antibes

In 1939, Picasso stayed a few months in Antibes, on the Cote d’Azur. He was lent a room in the Grimaldi Casle and Museum, which made him very much enthusiastic and willing to decorate the castle with his paintings. This joy appears in the work he produced in Antibes, such as La Joie de Vivre. There, he created several drawings and paintings, namely The Keys of Antibes, Peche de nuit à Antibes, Woman with Sea Urchins, etc. When he left, he gave his works to the Antibes town. But Picasso was also inspired by the village of Mougins, near Cannes and painted Paysage de Mougins II in 1965.

Matisse in Nice and Vence

Matisse, Picasso’s friend and rival, spend several years in Nice and Vence, where he discovered the “Mediterranean light” in 1898. The first month he was in Nice, it rained all the time. When he decided to leave the town because of the bad weather, the wind had cleared the sky and let the sun shine. He knew he would see this wonderful light every morning and eventually changed his mind and stayed in Nice for a long time. There, he painted among others Self-portrait, My Bedroom in the Beaurivage and The Open Window. It was for him a period of uninterrupted hard work. He was very much inspired by the city and its narrow balconies overlooking onto the sea and the local architecture. He loved the silvery light, the lively colours and the plunging perspectives of the city. He also painted the frivolities of life, like colourful parasols, shoes, hats and the current fashions women make up.

Chagall’s paintings Couple au-dessus de Saint Paul and La Table devant le Village show the Provencal village of St Paul-de-Vence.

Dali in Monte Carlo

Dali stayed in the Cote d’Azur several times during his life. Strangely, only his famous Cadillac car (exhibited at the Gala-Dali Museum, in Spain) shows a link between him and the region, as it is registered in Monte Carlo.

Those famous artists chose those towns and villages for their beauty because it would look very good on their landscape paintings. They cannot be wrong in their choice because their pieces are worth millions nowadays. If, as all these painters, you feel in love with the wonderful Provence and Cote d’Azur and would like to own a property there, Sextant Properties can help you in the process. They will put you in touch with English speaking French estate agents to help you find your dream property. Everybody knows that there’s no need to be an artist to love the region, its charming atmosphere, various landscapes and Mediterranean climate.