^TM

The Maeght Foundation: Jewel of the French Riviera

By Craig Lancto

The French Riviera wasn't always known as a getaway for the rich and famous. Under the glittery veneer is a subtle beauty that comes not only from the natural surroundings, but also the warmth and joie de vivre of the local residents.

The character of the Côte d'Azur began to change at the end of the nineteenth century, when neoimpressionist painter Paul Signac discovered the remarkable quality of the light in St. Tropez. Signac brought other artists, including Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Raoul Dufy, Henri Charles Manguin, and Georges Seurat.

Farther along the Riviera to the east, the medieval "perched" villages of Tourette sur Loup, Vence, and St. Paul de Vence are veritable artist colonies. Matisse lived near Vence and designed and built the Rosary Chapel nearby. Marc Chagall is buried in St. Paul's cemetery. His mosaics turn up in unlikely places including a baptismal font in a church in Vence and the wall of a private garden.

In the 1950s, Cannes art dealer Aimé Maeght founded the Aimé and Marguerite Maeght Foundation, an extraordinary museum of contemporary and modern art, designed to harmonize with its natural surroundings. High atop one of the foothills of the Alps, the Maeght Foundation combines natural scenic beauty with the whimsical art of such artists as Alberto Giacometti,  Alexander Calder, and Joan Miró.

The route to the foundation leads from Nice through Cagne sur Mer toward St. Paul de Vence. In the shadow of St. Paul's walls, a sign points the way along Montée des Trious, a shady side road that leads the short distance to the gallery on a hill to the left.

Near the small parking lot at the Maeght Foundation, a small kiosk sells tickets, one for visiting, and another if you want to take photographs. Them photography ticket is inexpensive and well worth the price.

At the Maeght Foundation, art literally surrounds visitors. Art is imbedded in the stone wall that encloses the sculpture park that greets visitors on lawns that are surprisingly green, shaded by tall trees and dotted with the work of such artists as Alexander Calder and Joan Miró. Beyond the lawn, the museum stands between the outdoor display of art and a panoramic view of the French Riviera.

To the right stands the St. Bernard Chapel, a 16th Spanish Crucifix hanging over the altar.

Beyond the building, emaciated figures by Giacometti populate the terrace that leads to a reflecting pool at the edge of the mountain and the labyrinth of Joan Miró's whimsical sculptures, constructed on site. Water fountains and pools abound, their water supplied by the large curved concrete rooftop impluvia that collect rainwater for the purpose and whose distinctive profile provides the museum's logo.

The harmony of the building and grounds is not serendipitous. Acting on Georges Bracht's suggestion that he create an art foundation, Aimé Maeght commissioned internationally renowned Spanish architect Josep-Lluis Sert to design a building and grounds that would complement the natural setting, as Sert described it, "installing a museum inside Nature."

The result is a shaded estate with a multilevel buildings and art that is displayed inside, outside, and integrated into the very walls. Sert took advantage of the unique Mediterranean light, including curved light scoops that redirect the light onto the walls of the exhibition space. In a unique collaboration, the architect discussed lighting with some of the artists whose work would be displayed in the space, including Braque, Miró, and Marc Chagall, who created a 10 x 13 foot painting for the museum, portraying the major events in his own life. Windows and glass walls allow visitors to enjoy the sunlight and scenery while they admire the art displayed indoors. Tiled pools, further merge art and nature; they provide a setting for sculpture and they are visible from inside and out.

Some of the walls incorporate Chagall mosaics, and the bottom of a narrow oblong pool boasts a mosaic by Braque, who also designed the stained glass windows in the St. Bernard Chapel. The kinetic steel pipes gently conduct water in the adjoining fountain by Pol Bury.

The Maeght Foundation conduces to serene contemplation of beauty, natural and designed. All merges in such harmony that even the voices of schoolchildren at play seem contrapuntal rather than dissonant.

This museum is the sublime product of a thoughtful collaboration of architect, artists, and a private foundation, an unheralded jewel that is overlooked by the vast majority of the visitors rushing to "do the Riviera."

Back to TravelLady Magazine