1 July 2025, 13:58
Picture:
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images
The French city Aix-en-Province is spending millions to celebrate one of its most famous residents with a summer of events.
Its €30 million Cézanne 2025 festival commemorating the life of the beloved French painter Paul Cézanne who was born in the city.
The Aix-en-Province tourist board has also registered both “Paul Cézanne” and “Cézanne chez lui” as trademarks – the latter meaning Cézanne is home.
Cézanne is known for his post-impressionist work which inspired artists such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso and was held in high regard by the likes of both Monet and Renoir.
The Cézanne 2025 festival will not only celebrate the painter’s life, it will also shine a spotlight on the landscape and mountain that he made famous through his work.
Picture:
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images
The programme of events includes exhibitions that look at the contemporaneous views of his works and previous events held by museums and galleries in France, plus an interactive children’s exhibition.
Aix-en-Province has restored Jas de Bouffan, the home bought by Cézanne’s father in 1859, which it plans to fully open up to the public permanently.
The painter spent four decades in the family home and produced some of his earliest paintings there at the age of 20.
More than 100 artworks have been loaned from collections held by museums around the world which including those in Basel, Chicago, Harvard, London, Los Angeles, New York, Ottawa, Tokyo, and Zurich.
