Immerse yourself in the world of Paul Cézanne as Aix-en-Provence celebrates a year-long tribute to the renowned Post-Impressionist painter with exhibitions, events, restorations, and rediscoveries.
The Legacy of Paul Cézanne: Celebrating a Year-Long Tribute in Aix-en-Provence
Paul Cézanne, the renowned Post-Impressionist painter, has left an indelible mark on the art world. Born and died in the picturesque southern French town of Aix-en-Provence, his legacy will be celebrated with a year-long schedule of exhibitions, events, restorations, and rediscoveries. The festivities, titled “Cézanne 2025,” aim to bring the artist’s life and work to life, showcasing his iconic pieces from various museums around the world.
A Year-Long Celebration
The celebration kicks off with the reopening of the Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence, which has been likened to a pantheon of dedicated artist venues throughout France. The museum has held several notable exhibitions of Cézanne’s work since its reopening in 2006, acknowledging the geographical bond between the artist and his hometown.
The Jas de Bouffan, Cézanne’s country house surrounded by almond trees, mulberry trees, olive trees, and vineyards, will also be a focal point of the celebrations. The estate was acquired by Cézanne’s father in 1859 and served as the artist’s studio until he was forced to sell it in 1899. Today, the Jas de Bouffan is being restored and will reopen to visitors in the summer with extensive restorations, a visitors’ center, and an adjacent research facility and archive.
Uncovering Hidden Treasures
Recent discoveries have shed new light on Cézanne’s work, including fragments of his first paintings at age 20, which were discovered in the Grand Salon. The panels on plaster were transposed onto canvas after the painter’s death, but new pieces measuring five to six meters square were uncovered in 2023.
A Center of Gravity
Denis Coutagne, president of the Société Paul Cézanne, described the Jas de Bouffan as a nexus of “savoir cézannien” and echoed that one has to visit the original context to understand the work. As part of the “Cézanne 2025” celebrations, visitors will be able to explore the estate, studio, and surrounding landscape, gaining a deeper understanding of Cézanne’s oeuvre.
A Year-Long Tribute
Throughout 2025, Aix-en-Provence will be transformed into a living tribute to Paul Cézanne. The Musée Granet will host several exhibitions, including “Cézanne au Jas de Bouffan,” which will feature iconic pieces from the Musée d’Orsay. Reservations for the exhibition are now open.
The celebrations also include the reopening of Cézanne’s Les Lauves studio and a new route leading to the Bibémus quarries, located toward Mount Sainte-Victoire. The once tricky-to-traverse area is now publicly accessible, allowing visitors to convene with the artist’s source of inspiration directly.
Conclusion
The “Cézanne 2025” celebrations promise to be an unforgettable experience for art lovers and enthusiasts alike. With a year-long schedule of exhibitions, events, restorations, and rediscoveries, Aix-en-Provence will become a living tribute to Paul Cézanne’s life and work. As Michel Fraisset, the director of Aix en-Provence’s office of tourism, quoted Goethe: “Who wants to understand the poem… Must go to the land of poetry; Who wishes to understand the poet… Must go to the poet’s land.
