Cézanne's Studio

Aix-en-Provence, France

Cézanne's studio (Atelier de Cézanne) is a museum about the painter Paul Cézanne, in Aix-en-Provence in Southern France. It was his studio from 1902 until his death in 1906.

In November 1901, after the death of his mother and the sale of family property in Aix-en-Provence, Cézanne bought an old farmhouse and 7000 square metres of land on the Lauves hill near the city. It has a view of Montagne Sainte-Victoire, the subject of many oil paintings and watercolours by the artist.

He constructed a studio on the upper floor, lit by large windows on the south side and a glass roof to the north; it was completed in September 1902. The ground floor was used for daily life, and he worked in the studio, creating paintings including The Bathers.

After his death, it passed to his son Paul; it was bought in 1921 by Marcel Joannon (known as Marcel Provence), an admirer of Cézanne. He occupied only the ground floor, leaving the studio upstairs as Cézanne had left it. Artists and art historians, including John Rewald, came to visit. After Joannon's death, John Rewald and the writer James Lord established the Cézanne Memorial Committee; in 1952 the committee had enough funds to purchase the property, which was converted into a museum.

The building is now owned by the Tourist Office of Aix-en-Provence. In Cézanne's former studio there is his work equipment, the models of his final still life paintings and his furniture; there are some watercolours and drawings by the artist. Temporary exhibitions are held, and cultural events take place.

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Details

Founded: 1902
Category: Museums in France

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Igor Fabjan (2 years ago)
Interesting to see how and where Cezanne worked. The garden should be in better condition. It is advisible to watch film about his work first, so you will appreciate the visit of studio more.
Laura Alexandra (2 years ago)
Unfortunately we did not get to visit the inside because you need to make a reservation in advance. The outside was still nice though. You can get a glimpse of the atelier from the back of the house. And if you go to the first floor you still see the really nice view of Aix that Cezanne would also see.
Robin Bass (2 years ago)
Really cool experience, nice to see some of Cezanne's possessions left as they were 100 years ago. If you're familiar with his art you'll immediately recognise many objects in the room. Be aware that this is just one room, and the price is €6.50, also there are specific slots the enter as only 24 people can enter at a time. But you can stroll around the garden while you wait. There's tons of information available and I learnt a lot about the studio, the art and the artist.
Pete Phillips (2 years ago)
If you have any interest in art then make time to visit this studio. You should book online before visiting as it is unlikely you can turn up and visit. As well as access to the garden and the studio there is a 23 minute video which is well worth watching, accompanied by Debussy music. The studio is fascinating and contains a lot of original artefacts that Cezanne used in his still lifes. You can park in Parking Pasteur and walk up the hill to reach the studio.
Lucie Detaeye Čížková (2 years ago)
For all those who are curious and enjoy looking behind the scenes of famous works of art and like to "meet" an artist in his space of creation and via the objects that used to inspire him. The only thing I'd like to see embellished is the otherwise beautifully laid-out garden...some new plantations to underline the otherwise wonderful attempt to bring children out into the green space through the outdoor activities about Cezanne!
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