Tag: Fountains

Who is Paul Cezanne? And, where are his footsteps?

Both Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso are said to have remarked that Cézanne “is the father of us all”. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_C%C3%A9zanne)

More specifically he is an artist born in the town of Aix en Provence, France, where the three of us (Andy, Linda and myself; AC) spent three weeks in an immersion program under Smithsonian tours.

The “In the Steps of Cezanne” is a walking tour put together by the Aix en Provence Office of Tourism – it takes a walker to many of the key locations in the Artist’s life.

You can begin almost anywhere within the city of Aix, either following a guide, a map, a gps app, or medallions placed in the sidewalks. Here we go!
https://www.cirkwi.com/en/circuit/55225-in-the-steps-of-ce!zanne
Leaving the statue we cross the street to the large Fountain, Rotonde. Built in 1840 – 1850, Cezanne would have walked by this fountain too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontaine_de_la_Rotonde

We walk east from the fountain, on the (central avenue) Cours Mirabeau and across Rue Laroque to reach Mignet High School

Beautiful, but heavy doors keep tourists, and Adventure Cows alike, out of the still active school. Cezanne was a student here 1852 – 1858. It was at Mignet that he met his lifelong friends writer Émile Zola, the scientist Jean-Baptistin Baille and Louis Marguery (Court attorney).
https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/college-mignet-(mignet-college)-60974.html

Walking east down the street Rue Cardinale, we circle the Fountain of the Four Dolphins:

It is not an identified stop, but we know that his footsteps took him by this fountain too. https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/mazarin-district-and-fountain-of-the-four-dolphins-60875.html
Aix is known as the City of a Thousand fountains; to learn more about them, click this link: https://www.chateau-gassier.fr/en/aix-en-provence-the-town-of-a-thousand-fountains/

In a few more blocks we reach Cezanne’s art School, now The Granet Museum

A beautiful building with several of Cezanne’s paintings. I pushed really hard, but could not get this door open.
https://www.museegranet-aixenprovence.fr/en/homepage
Next door is the Saint Jean de Malte Church where the funeral for his wife was held in 1897. You know I am not allowed inside a church – but the fountain outside is a great place for AC’s.
https://paroissesaintjeandemalte.fr/

Not far from the church, following the medallions, I found a statue of Cezanne’s friend, Emile Zola. He was a very influential man. Please read more about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Zola

Turning around, and going back down the central avenue, Cours Mirabeau, we see the CIC bank

What is hard to see, is that the building was the location of Paul Cezanne’s father’s, Louis-Auguste Cezanne, shop where he began practicing his new trade of hat making in 1825. Paul’s mother, Anne-Elisabeth Aubert, was also a hatmaker.

It is very hard to read, especially for Adventure Cows, but just over and between the first set of windows you can almost make out the French words: (chapellerie (hats), (gros et détail) wholesale and retail.

The City of a Thousand Fountains (Aix en Provence) was founded by Romans in 122 BCE. Romans loved water and Aix had water. As a Roman town it included a thermal spa which is still visible today. (It is part of a Spa and Hotel complex now) Cezanne would not have visited the old Roman baths, but he would have walked past this complex. https://www.josetteking.com/blog/from-roman-spa-to-contemporary-cultural-center-aix-en-provence/

The Thermal Spa backs up to a remaining section of the original city walls and the only tower that remains.

Away from the center of town is Cezanne’s Atelier des Lauves (workshop).

It was not easy to snoop around in this museum. I did find some nice steps in the side garden. This workshop is where Cezanne painted from 1902 until his death in 1906. Note that this website has a short video to introduce you to the atelier, it is worth the 45 seconds.
https://www.cezanne-en-provence.com/en/the-cezanne-sites/atelier-de-cezanne/
Whooo, hooo! I did it. I got to see the actual items depicted in Cezanne’s still life paintings and watercolors.

Cezanne also painted landscapes. He was particularly drawn to his local landscape which was dominated by Mont Sainte-Victoire. The mountain is captured in picture after picture. Below is the view as it is today from his favorite outdoor painting spot on the Lauves Hill.

Can you see me, Adventure Cow, in this picture? No. I am on a rock just below this line.

Here is the mountain in his 1902 – 1904 version of Mont Sainte-Victoire.

To watch videos on this and some of his other paintings, or to learn more about Cezanne, please click this link: https://smarthistory.org/cezanne-mont-sainte-victoire/

I have to admit I had a little trouble following the maps and medallions. Why would Cezanne go to the GAP?

I couldn’t believe it. Had I only turned around this would be a picture of Madeleine Church where Paul Cezanne was christened and later married.

We do know he went to the Palace of Justice. He studied law at the insistence of his father, but gave it up to pursue his interest in art.

Do you see me? It is a very big building. I am here. Next to the gate on the left. It is a very serious building, no pictures of any kind, not even cows, are allowed inside.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Justice_of_Aix-en-Provence

Do you see what I see?

This is a part of the original Roman Forum foundation that still remains under the Palace of Justice. Cezanne would not have seen this, it was only discovered in the 20th century as workers cleared the square for a parking lot.

Whew! We have followed a lot of steps, and taken a lot of pictures, trying to explore Cezanne’s Provence. There is so much to see. So many fountains.

Like this one, The Mossy Fountain. It is the only fountain fed by the thermal baths. The water temperature is a constant 64 degrees, causing the moss to grow.
https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/fontaine-moussue-(mossy-fountain)-60858.html#:~:text=Mossy%20Fountain%20(Fontaine%20Moussue)%20is,on%20the%20landmark%20Mirabeau%20Boulevard.
Or this one, Fountain des Precheurs.
https://www.literallytheworld.com/france-blog/aix-en-provence-the-fountains

We need a coffee. For this occasion (being in Provence) a Cafe Gourmand is appropriate. A relatively new coupling, we get espresso and several tiny desserts all at one time. Yum!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_gourmand

I will return with more pictures and information about Provence – but first it is time to enjoy this coffee.

Au revior!