why this french city just trademarked cezanne 2664940

The city of Aix-en-Provence has trademarked the name of Paul Cézanne and the phrase “Cézanne chez lui” as part of a major cultural tourism initiative called “Cézanne 2025.” The city has invested €30 million ($35 million) in a summer-long program of events, centered on a monumental retrospective of 130 works at the Musée Granet, titled “Cezanne au Jas de Bouffan.” The exhibition focuses on the artist’s family home, Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, which has undergone recent conservation and now allows visitors to see murals Cézanne painted on the walls in his twenties. Other highlights include the reopening of his first studio and the restored Atelier des Lauves, his last studio.

Victor Vasarely’s crumbling Aix legacy to be restored

The family of Op Art pioneer Victor Vasarely is leading a major restoration effort for his foundation's iconic building and artworks in Aix-en-Provence. The striking 50-year-old structure, a historic monument, had suffered from years of neglect, leaking roofs, and failed climate systems, with many of its 42 monumental site-specific works in urgent need of conservation. A €12 million renovation, 85% publicly funded, has addressed the building's fabric, but restoring the complex artworks remains a slow, costly process.

Christine Ruiz-Picasso, Founder of Museo Picasso Málaga and Artist’s Daughter-in-Law, Dies at 97

Christine Ruiz-Picasso, the daughter-in-law of Pablo Picasso and a pivotal figure in preserving his artistic legacy, has passed away at the age of 97 in Provence, France. Married to Picasso’s eldest son, Paul, she became a primary advocate for the artist's work following her husband's death in 1975. Her most significant achievement was the 2003 founding of the Museo Picasso Málaga, realized through her donation of over 200 artworks and her persistent collaboration with the Andalusian government.

Most expensive, suicide not murder and more: celebrating 300 Adventures with Van Gogh

Adventures with Van Gogh, a weekly blog launched in 2018, has published its 300th post. To mark the milestone, the blog compiled a list of its most-read posts since the 200th edition in February 2023, updated with new information. Topics range from the ten most expensive Van Gogh paintings at auction (led by *Orchard with Cypresses* at $117m) to a geological feature near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence that appears in *The Olive Trees*, a defense of the suicide theory over murder, the real-life view behind *Starry Night over the Rhône*, Picasso’s granddaughter Marina Picasso quietly buying and selling a Van Gogh watercolour, and the artist’s preference for simple wooden frames over ornate gold ones.

Van Gogh was not fantasising when he painted mountain landscapes with ‘The Two Holes’

Martin Bailey, a leading Van Gogh specialist, reveals that the distinctive rock formation known as Le Rocher des Deux Trous (The Rock of the Two Holes), which appears in two of Vincent van Gogh's paintings—The Olive Trees (June 1889) and Mountains at Saint-Rémy (July 1889)—is a real geological feature near the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, not a figment of the artist's imagination. The two paintings, held by the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, were recently displayed together at London's National Gallery exhibition Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers (14 September 2024–19 January 2025), offering a rare chance to compare them. Bailey traces the history of the formation, noting that an anonymous 17th-century artist also depicted it, and describes a walking route from the former asylum to the site.

Christine Ruiz-Picasso Dies at 97

Christine Ruiz-Picasso mit 97 gestorben

Christine Ruiz-Picasso, the daughter-in-law of Pablo Picasso and a pivotal figure in the establishment of the Museo Picasso Málaga, has passed away at the age of 97 in her home in Provence. As the widow of Picasso’s eldest son, Paul, she was instrumental in fulfilling the artist's wish to have a dedicated museum in his birthplace. Alongside her son Bernard, she donated over 230 works to form the core of the institution's permanent collection.

Immersive exhibitions and visits not to miss from spring to summer in France

Les expos et visites immersives à ne pas rater du printemps à l’été en France

The article from Beaux Arts Magazine highlights a selection of immersive art exhibitions and experiences across France for spring and summer 2026. Featured attractions include "Passion Japon" at Parc de la Villette in Paris, a journey through Japanese culture with Hokusai and Hiroshige projections; "L'Odyssée Céleste" at Église Saint-Eustache, a 3D light spectacle with live choral music; "Frissons" at the Musée d'Orsay, an interactive light installation by artist Adrien M responding to visitors' movements; and a Picasso immersive experience at Les Baux-de-Provence.

Before the Night of Museums, monuments across France open their doors for three exceptional nocturnal events

Avant la Nuit des musées, des monuments de la France entière ouvrent leurs portes pour trois nocturnes exceptionnelles

The crowdfunding platform Dartagnans is launching the 2026 edition of "Nuit des monuments" (Night of Monuments) from April 17 to 19 across France. This initiative opens dozens of privately owned historic sites, many of which are usually closed to the public, for unique nocturnal experiences including lantern-lit tours, puzzle games, and immersive light displays. Notable participants include the Château de Cercamp, the Château de la Matray, and the Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence.

Catch These Glamourous Summer Exhibitions at SCAD Lacoste

SCAD Lacoste, the Savannah College of Art and Design's campus in Provence, France, is hosting three summer exhibitions: 'Christian Dior: Jardins Rêvés', the first Dior exhibition in southern France, featuring over 30 haute couture silhouettes and 60 accessories by Dior and his successors; 'DRIFT: Unfold', a permanent interactive installation by the Dutch artist duo DRIFT that transforms visitors' heartbeats into audiovisual displays; and 'Studio Bee: 100% Made by SCAD', showcasing work by recent SCAD fashion graduates. The Dior show runs until September 28, while the Studio Bee exhibition continues until November 2.

Cezanne family home opens to the public as Aix-en-Provence fetes its famous former resident

The French city of Aix-en-Provence is launching Cezanne 2025, a year-long program of events and exhibitions celebrating its most famous resident, Paul Cézanne. The season begins with two major openings: the Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, Cézanne's family home, now open to the public after extensive renovations, and a major exhibition at the Musée Granet titled "Cezanne au Jas de Bouffan" (28 June to 12 October), which explores the painter's work during his 40 years at the estate. A highlight of the exhibition is the reconstruction of the Grand Salon, featuring a recently discovered mural fragment, *Entrée du port* (1864), and loans from institutions including the National Gallery in London and the Petit Palais in Paris.

5 exhibitions in Provence for the 100th anniversary of Fragonard, the historic perfume house

5 mostre in Provenza per i 100 anni di Fragonard, la storica maison di profumi

The historic French perfume house Fragonard is preparing to celebrate its centenary in 2026 with a series of five exhibitions in Provence. Founded in 1926 by Eugène Fuchs and named in honor of the Rococo painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, the maison has evolved into a significant cultural patron under the leadership of the Costa family. The upcoming celebrations highlight the family's extensive private collections, which span ancient perfume artifacts, traditional Provençal costumes, and fine art, housed across several free public museums in Grasse, Paris, and Arles.

France's Château La Coste hosts four decades of work by designer Marc Newson

Australian designer Marc Newson is presenting a comprehensive survey of his four-decade career at Château La Coste in Provence. The exhibition, housed in a pavilion designed by Oscar Niemeyer, features fifteen seminal works including the iconic 1988 Lockheed Lounge and a complex 2017 glass armchair. A highlight of the show is the 6-meter-tall sculpture 'Electra,' originally commissioned for the 1996 Olympics but never installed, which has been restored and recently acquired by collector Philip Serafim.

Van Gogh visited Georges Seurat's studio the day he left for Provence

The Courtauld Gallery in London is hosting a major exhibition of Georges Seurat’s work, highlighting the profound influence the Neo-Impressionist leader had on Vincent van Gogh. Historical records reveal that Van Gogh visited Seurat’s studio on February 19, 1888—the very day he departed Paris for Arles—to view masterpieces like 'A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.' This meeting underscores the deep respect Van Gogh held for Seurat’s scientific approach to color, even as he prepared to embark on his most famous creative period in Provence.

A brush with Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence, France: a blockbuster retrospective comes to town

Paul Cezanne's hometown of Aix-en-Provence is staging a major retrospective at the Musée Granet, bringing together over 130 works including still lifes, portraits, and landscapes. The exhibition coincides with the reopening of two key sites after an eight-year restoration: the artist's atelier in Les Lauves and the Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, the family estate where Cezanne painted for 40 years. The Bastide, acquired by Cezanne's banker father in 1859, had fallen into disrepair and closed in 2017; it reopens on 28 June with guided tours and grounds open to visitors.

Sotheby's May Marquee Sales unveiled | Led by Rothko's $70 - 100M Canvas

Sotheby's has unveiled its May marquee sales, headlined by Mark Rothko's monumental painting "Brown and Blacks in Reds" (1957), estimated at $70–100 million. The sales open with a dedicated auction of works from dealer and collector Robert Mnuchin, followed by The Now & Contemporary Art Evening Auction on May 14, led by a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting valued at over $45 million. Additional highlights include works from the collections of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg, Jennifer Gilbert, and David and Shoshanna Wingate, alongside a Modern Evening Auction on May 19 featuring Pablo Picasso's "Arlequin (Buste)" (est. over $40 million) and Vincent van Gogh's "La Moisson en Provence" (est. $25–35 million).

Jean-Gabriel Peyre (1941-2026)

Jean-Gabriel Peyre (1941-2026)

Jean-Gabriel Peyre, a distinguished French art dealer and expert in antique ceramics, passed away on March 27 at the age of 85. Originally a fashion professional who worked for Jacques Esterel, Peyre transitioned to the art world in the late 1960s, establishing himself as a preeminent specialist in European ceramics from the 16th to 18th centuries. Based in Paris and later Aix-en-Provence, he was particularly renowned for his expertise in French faience and his significant personal collection of Apt ceramics.

Location, location, location: behind the Art Basel floor plan beef

Air de Paris, a veteran contemporary gallery that has exhibited at Art Basel since 1999, announced its withdrawal from the upcoming edition after a dispute over its assigned stand. Co-founders Florence Bonnefous and Edouard Merino made their exit public by posting emails online via Provence, a French publishing house, calling the stand assignment process “brutal and unfair.” Art Basel’s chief artistic officer Vincenzo de Bellis defended the decision, noting that 58 galleries had their stands moved this year due to the launch of a new section called Premiere and the need to improve visitor flow and aesthetic dialogue between exhibitors.