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.
This initiative matters because it demonstrates how cities leverage art-historical heritage to drive tourism and economic growth. The previous Cézanne centenary in 2006 generated €65 million in tourism revenue, suggesting the current investment could yield significant returns. The trademarking of Cézanne’s name also raises questions about the commercialization of cultural icons and the balance between preservation, public access, and branding in the art world.