‘When you’re born there, it’s hopeless, nothing else is good enough’. As an aspiring young artist Cézanne was inevitably drawn to Paris, the centre of the art world in Europe and the crucible for experimentation and new ideas in painting. However, it is significant that he kept finding excuses not to join his friend and ‘soul-mate’, Emile Zola, for several years and soon after his arrival in the capital he was itching to travel south again. In the capital there was exposure to new ideas, the company of fellow-painters and opportunities to meet potential patrons, but Cézanne always knew that it was his home country of Provence that was the true nursery for his creativity. Inspite of a difficult relationship with his father and a complicated, at times clandestine, personal life it was Aix and its surroundings that were essential components of his artistic development. There would be occasional sojourns in Paris and significant friendships and collaborations with other artists, particularly Camille Pissarro, but Aix was the real centre of his world. It provided him with the environment and motifs through which he explored the possibilities of paint which ultimately led to him becoming one of the giants of modern art, described by Picasso as ‘the father of us all’.
Unlike other entries on this website there is no convenient walk around the city to take in significant places that were inspirational for Cézanne. However, there are four significant destinations in and around Aix that will give a comprehensive view of the artist’s life and work. These are Cézanne’s family home – La Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, his studio, Le Terrain des Peintres and the quarries of Bibémus. Each of these will be looked at in detail, although the Jas du Bouffan is closed at the moment for extensive renovation.
For those interested in visiting other significant places around the town there is an excellent walking tour – In the Steps of Cézanne – arranged by the tourist office. With the aid of a printed map this follows brass studs embedded in the pavements and takes in over 30 locations including the house where he was born, the school he attended with Emile Zola, the site of his father’s hat manufactory, various homes of family members and many other places of interest. All details are available from the excellent tourist office.
La Bastide du Jas de Bouffan As mentioned this is closed to the public for the time being for extensive renovations. The author made a visit to the house several years ago and even in it’s then dilapidated state it gave a fascinating insight to the painter’s life, especially in his early years. The rather grand 18th century mansion and associated farm buildings and grounds were situated in open country outside the town in Cézanne’s time but urban development now surrounds the estate. The Cézanne family moved into the house in 1859 when the artist’s father had become a successful businessman and banker. Paul was aged 20 at the time and the house would become a constant presence in his life for the next 40 years, until the death of his father led to the sale of the estate. In an effort to convince his father of his artistic talents he painted 12 large compositions on the walls of the drawing room.
Many important works were painted in the grounds and estate workers were often used as models, including for the iconic series of paintings of card players. The painting shown is Le bassin de la bastide du Jas de Bouffan (The pond at the Jas de Bouffan), c. 1876 (Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia). This entry will be updated and expanded when the house is reopened – hopefully in the very near future.
It was in this studio that many of his still lifes including Nature morte avec l’Amour en plâtre (Still life with plaster cast of Cupid), c.1895 (Courtauld Galleries, London) were painted. As can be seen the statue is among many original artefacts preserved in the studio.
In the purpose-built studio the artist was also able to work on monumental canvases such as Les Grandes Baigneuses (The Bathers), 1894–1905 (National Gallery, London). He had a special mechanical easel installed to work on these and there was an ingenious ‘pass tableau’ running floor to ceiling in the studio which allowed these giant paintings to be taken out.
After the artist’s death in 1906 the studio passed to his son Paul and it remained a place of pilgimage for his friends although neglect began to take its toll. In 1921 it was bought by Marcel Provence who lived there and over the next 30 years it was visited by many artists and art historians including Roger Fry and John Rewald. When Provence died Rewald together with James Lord created the Cézanne Memorial Committee and in 1952 sufficient funds had been raised to purchase the property and it was converted to a small museum and opened to the public. The management of the site has been in various hands and now it is run by the Tourist Office. The studio has been very sympathetically renovated and, although there are no original paintings to be seen, many original artefacts from Cézanne’s time have been assembled and there is a real sense that the artist has just left the studio – perhaps for his habitual walk back into town for lunch or up the hill to paint his beloved Mont Sainte Victoire ‘sur le motif’. The painting shown above is Nature morte aux onions, 1896–98 (Musée d’Orsay, Paris). The space is quite small and the number of visitors is strictly regulated so it is essential to book in advance at the tourist office. If walking from central Aix is not an option (it is uphill!) then take the Line 5 bus and get off at stop Cézanne or the Line 12 and get off at stop Auriol. 9 Avenue Paul Cézanne, 13090 Aix-en-Provence Tel: +33 (0)4 42 21 06 53 E-mail: infos@atelier-cezanne.com Website: www.cezanne-en-provence.com Open: February – Tuesday–Saturday 09.30–12.30 and 14.00–17.00; March – every day 09.30–12.30 and 14.00–17.00; April–May – every day 09.30–12.30 and 14.00–18.00; June–September every day 09.30–18.00; October–November – every day 09.30–12.30 and 14.00–17.00; December – Monday–Saturday 09.30–12.30 and 14.00–17.00. Closed: January and May 1, December 25 There is an entry fee. Maximum of 25 visitors at any one time. Booking at the Tourist Office essential. No telephone reservations. guided tours in English are available at certain times. All details should be checked on the website.
Le Terrain des Peintres This open area planted with olive trees on a series of terraces is about 15 minutes walk from the studio further along Avenue Paul Cézanne. Again, if walking is a problem the Line 5 and Line 12 buses call at stop Les Peintres. There is a stone staircase on the left just past the Cézanne Gate and this leads to an elevated platform with magnificent views of Mont Sainte Victoire. This view was painted time and again by Cézanne at all times of day, in all seasons and in all weather conditions. There are information panels giving details of nine of these paintings. The mountain became a kind of totem for the artist through which he explored the possibilities of paint to capture the essence of this magnificent landscape. These works were all painted between 1902 and 1906 are now to be found in major collections around the world, they are:
1. Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation, The Art Museum, Princeton University (shown above) 2. Walter and Leonore Annenberg Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 3. George W Elkins Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art (shown right) 4. Kunsthaus, Zürich 5. Collection Emile G Bührle, Zürich 6. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City 7. Pushkin Museum, Moscow 8. Kunstmuseum, Basel 9. Galerie Beyeler, Basel (now closed)
Les Carrières de Bibémus (The Bibemus Quarries) The landscape around Aix is dominated by Mont Sainte Victoire and many of the grand buildings in the old city are constructed using the distinctive yellow ochre stone quarried on the flanks of the mountain. As far back as Roman times the stone has been hewn from the mountain and this practice went on until 1885. Cézanne knew the quarries from childhood as the parents of one of his school friends owned a hunting lodge nearby. He re-discovered the place in 1890 and became a regular visitor until 1904. The tranquil atmosphere and unique topography provided him with ideal motifs to further his exploration of the possibilities of the painted image. He produced at least eleven major oils and sixteen watercolours and several of these are indicated by information panels around the site.
Around the site there are viewing platforms in several places where Cézanne set up his easel and in some cases it is easy to see the motif that he captured on canvas although in others the subsequent growth of vegetation and also artistic licence in the first place makes comparison more of a challenge. In the case of Le Rocher Rouge, c.1895 (Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris) the likeness is fairly obvious.
In the case of Carrière de Bibémus, c.1895 (Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia) the view captured in the painting is a bit more difficult to identify because of the growth of trees and undergrowth. However, the distinctive rock face on the right acts as an anchor. It is also possible that the artist emphasised the red colours in the landscape for visual effect.
In La carrière de Bibémus, 1898–1900 (Private collection, Kansas City), again it is the distinctive rock formation that cuts through the undergrowth that helps locate the image.
In 1954 the American painter George Bunker bought the quarries from the Huot family and from then on he spent much of his time there until he bequethed the site to the city of Aix in 1991 on the understanding that it be preserved as a public park dedicated to Cézanne. The site has been restored and open to the public since 2006 and gives a unique impression of the life and work of the artist. It is only possible to visit the site as part of a guided tour which are available from April 1 to October 31 and these may be cancelled or altered because of bad weather. The tours leave by shuttle bus from Les Trois Bon Dieux car park and this is served by Line 6 buses from central Aix. From the vicinity of the quarry the tour is led by a guide around the site with a commentary in French and lasts about 1 hour 45 minutes. Booking at the Tourist Office or online is essential and there are no reservations by phone.
CEZANNE THE AIXOIS
La Bastide du Jas de Bouffan
Many important works were painted in the grounds and estate workers were often used as models, including for the iconic series of paintings of card players. The painting shown is Le bassin de la bastide du Jas de Bouffan (The pond at the Jas de Bouffan), c. 1876 (Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia). 
L’Atelier de Cézanne
It was in this studio that many of his still lifes including Nature morte avec l’Amour en plâtre (Still life with plaster cast of Cupid), c.1895 (Courtauld Galleries, London) were painted. As can be seen the statue is among many original artefacts preserved in the studio.
In the purpose-built studio the artist was also able to work on monumental canvases such as Les Grandes Baigneuses (The Bathers), 1894–1905 (National Gallery, London). He had a special mechanical easel installed to work on these and there was an ingenious ‘pass tableau’ running floor to ceiling in the studio which allowed these giant paintings to be taken out.
After the artist’s death in 1906 the studio passed to his son Paul and it remained a place of pilgimage for his friends although neglect began to take its toll. In 1921 it was bought by Marcel Provence who lived there and over the next 30 years it was visited by many artists and art historians including Roger Fry and John Rewald. When Provence died Rewald together with James Lord created the Cézanne Memorial Committee and in 1952 sufficient funds had been raised to purchase the property and it was converted to a small museum and opened to the public. The management of the site has been in various hands and now it is run by the Tourist Office. The studio has been very sympathetically renovated and, although there are no original paintings to be seen, many original artefacts from Cézanne’s time have been assembled and there is a real sense that the artist has just left the studio – perhaps for his habitual walk back into town for lunch or up the hill to paint his beloved Mont Sainte Victoire ‘sur le motif’. The painting shown above is Nature morte aux onions, 1896–98 (Musée d’Orsay, Paris). The space is quite small and the number of visitors is strictly regulated so it is essential to book in advance at the tourist office. If walking from central Aix is not an option (it is uphill!) then take the Line 5 bus and get off at stop Cézanne or the Line 12 and get off at stop Auriol.
Le Terrain des Peintres
1. Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation, The Art Museum, Princeton University (shown above) 
Around the site there are viewing platforms in several places where Cézanne set up his easel and in some cases it is easy to see the motif that he captured on canvas although in others the subsequent growth of vegetation and also artistic licence in the first place makes comparison more of a challenge. In the case of Le Rocher Rouge, c.1895 (Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris) the likeness is fairly obvious. 
In the case of Carrière de Bibémus, c.1895 (Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia) the view captured in the painting is a bit more difficult to identify because of the growth of trees and undergrowth. However, the distinctive rock face on the right acts as an anchor. It is also possible that the artist emphasised the red colours in the landscape for visual effect.
In La carrière de Bibémus, 1898–1900 (Private collection, Kansas City), again it is the distinctive rock formation that cuts through the undergrowth that helps locate the image.
