Jewel of the French Riviera, Saint-Tropez is renowned by wealthy vacationers from all over the world. But the village has also been appreciated since the end of the 19th century by artists who come here to seek emulation and inspiration in the light of Provence. Created in 1922, the Annonciade Museum highlights some of the greatest names in 20th century painting, with a particular interest in the Pointillist, Nabi and Fauvist movements.
Annonciade Museum in Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez and art
Paul Signac, a painter, docked in Saint-Tropez in 1892 aboard the Olympia, his pleasure yacht. He immediately fell in love with the place, the light, the landscapes and the gentle way of life there, and bought a house that he transformed into a studio. This property, La Hune, quickly became the meeting place for many painters: Henri Matisse, André Derain, Albert Marquet and Henri-Edmond Cross stayed there regularly.
The museum presents a little-known part of the history of Saint-Tropez, which was a particularly active center of the pictorial avant-garde at the beginning of the 20th century, before becoming in the second half of the 20th century the favorite vacation destination for celebrities from all over the world. Housed in a former 16th-century chapel whose name it bears, the Annonciade Museum has been extensively enlarged and redesigned by the architect Louis Süe so that it can fully fulfil its museographic function.
Collections
Eight rooms house collections of paintings created between 1890 and 1950. All the artists presented have produced work based on a reflection on color, while remaining faithful to figuration. The result is an impression of harmony, thanks to the homogeneity of the works presented.
Pointillism is represented by works by Paul Signac, Théo van Rysselberghe, Georges Seurat, Maximilien Luce, Jeanne Selmersheim-Desgrange and Henri-Edmond Cross. The Nabis and Symbolists are notably represented by Édouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, Félix Vallotton and Maurice Denis. Georges Braque, Kees van Dongen, André Derain, Henri Matisse and Raoul Dufy also offered a choice presence to the Fauvists.
Temporary exhibitions
The Annonciade Museum generally hosts two exhibitions a year, which focus on particular artistic currents, artists or works. In 2020, the exhibition Matisse et les Inuits (Matisse and the Inuits) focuses on the discovery of this culture by Henri Matisse during his stay in New York, while Les couleurs de Nadia (Nadia’s colors) highlights a talented and little-known artist, Nadia Léger, wife of Fernand Léger.
Practical information
Prepare your visit to the Annonciade Museum:
- Opening days: open Tuesday to Sunday from October to June, daily in July, August and September
- Closed on January 1, May 1, May 17, July 6, December 25, January 15 to February 10 and November 15 to 30.
- Schedule: from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (closed at 7:00 p.m. in July, August and September)
- Address: 2, Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 83990 Saint-Tropez
- Website: https://www.saint-tropez.fr/culture/musee-de-lannonciade/
