The Art of Aix

Aix is Art is Aix

One is not in Aix for very long before learning that both Cezanne and Zola are native sons. Art Galleries and antique stores seem to be very much at home here, and the wonderful Musee Granet organizes types and periods in such an interesting way that it serves as a master teacher.

Cezanne holds a place of honor in this museum which he visited during his lifetime.  The number of his paintings in the museum are few but they track his career.

One of the most interesting to me is a painting that was done late in his life. The subject is his wife who clearly was a patient woman. He ultimately painted 27 portraits of her. They married 17 years after they first met and, over the many years of their life together, she served as his model and endured endless hours of sitting without moving.

He believed that painting the human figure was the most difficult to recreate and a culmination of art.

Even though he eventually broke away from Impressionists, he believed that painting outside was the most honest.  This painting captures his impression of his family home which he painted in 1866.

To complete the gallery of art giants in the Musee Granet, other painters represented there include Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Gauguin and Bonnard: a rich collection that supports the artistic orientation of this impressive place.

Four other unrelated artistic experiences of Aix deserve attention:

Children sketching the Place Des Quatre Dauphins (at intersection of Rue Cardinale and Rue de la Quartre Septembre).

Sometimes called the “city of a thousand fountains”, one of the most historic and interesting ones in the city is the Fountain of the Four Dolphins. Situated in the middle of the Mazarin District, the fountain was built in 1646.

I was recently delighted by this unexpected sight: a small group of children sketching the fountain, apparently with the guidance of their teacher. The choice of dolphins is a reference to mythology where they were considered to be the favorite animals of Poseidon and Apollo.

Nearby is the impressive Hotel Caumont, an elegant example of the homes built in the Mazarin District according to the design guidelines of that era.

I was curious about the names of so many buildings as “hotels” and I learned that in the 17th century it was a way to designate a building with its own four walls or it was not attached to another building (as in a row house).

The new homes built in the Mazarin District at that time were required to follow the guidelines that included a garden on the north side and a walled-in courtyard at the front of the home with an impressive gate that could allow a carriage access. After all, arriving in style was a critical part of life!

Apparently, these “suggestions” followed the geographical positioning of the home in order to maximize the activities of the day. (I have no idea how homes facing east or west were managed, but it would have been an interesting discussion with a French architect. It occurred to me later that perhaps none of them faced east or west.)

While it is not large in scale, it is very precise. To complete the careful attention such precision requires, it was a delight to observe a gardener very deliberately trimming a hedge.

Before leaving the 17th century, I want to capture one more of the distinctive characteristics that continue to inspire awe today.

This impressive entrance that once graced an individual home is now a commercial enterprise. There are many other similar situations that casual walks in Aix reveal.

I don’t know what the fascination was with male caryatids but they seem to have been the preferred choice for such displays.

These former residences each had a grand staircase that was another showpiece to distinguish the dwelling to signal the status of the owner.

One more experience of serendipity was the unexpected parade I happened upon one evening when I was out for a walk on the Cours Mirabeau.

I learned that it was a part of the Aix Biennale this year and these three mechanical elephants were especially designed for this parade. They were accompanied by a squadron of metallic Phoenixes across the city to the sound of the bagpipes, bombards, and drums of a small army of toy soldiers. I’m not sure what the people pulling the individual elephants were called.

One last note … I decided to re-read A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle while I was in the area. When I originally read it, I was so delighted with his spirited writing.

However, this experience was different because I learned from locals that he had not endeared himself to the people of the area. And… he did not stay long. Fascinating!

I’m now in the London area and focused on the history and the current reality of all things British. I spent hours at Westminster Abbey a few days ago and still feel overwhelmed by all the history and importance of such a vibrant place that also serves as a cemetery for thousands!

That’s a topic for another issue.

Thanks for traveling along with my adventures.

Beryl, Adventurer — Vol II, Issue 11 May 8, Wimbledon, U K

Beryl will be teaching an OLLI class on “Adventuring” this fall. It will be called Adventures: “The Challenges and the Returns” and will run from        10:00 to 11:30am on Sept 17 and 24 at St. Mary Magdalen Church. Watch for the Class Catalog and sign up before it fills! — Editors

Beryl B. Byles, MBA University of Dallas, worked as an Executive Coach, specializing in leadership development for senior executives in large corporations, CEO’s of small to mid-sized companies and leaders of non-profit enterprises, challenging and supporting her clients in making growth-oriented choices.  She wrote a professional memoir called Authentic Leadership: An Inside Job.  

Beryl ‘s continuing explorations of what life has to offer epitomize what OLLI-USF is all about.