Auguste Renoir, an emblematic painter of Impressionism, but also a sculptor, lived for many years at Domaine des Collettes in Cagnes-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera. A visit to the Renoir Museum, established in this residence, allows you to discover the atmosphere in which the artist lived during his last years. The works on display, but also the rooms where the painter and sculptor lived and worked, make this museum an exceptional place with an intimate atmosphere.
Auguste Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer
The painter discovered Cagnes-sur-Mer in 1903, on his way to Italy. Falling under the spell of the gardens composed of olive and orange trees, he bought in 1907 “Domaine des Collettes”, a vast property of several hectares. As the small farmhouse on site did not find favor with Aline, his wife, Auguste Renoir had a vast néo-provençal style bourgeois house built to the plans of the architect Jules Febvre. He moved into his new house which had two artist’s studios, in the autumn of 1908. Surrounded by his family, his wife and his three children Claude, Jean and Pierre, he never left the French Riviera. The artist painted and sculpted there for eleven years, until his death in 1919 at the age of 78. His estate is an essential source of inspiration, and it greatly influenced his last period also known as the “Cagnoise” period.
The villa is also a place of intellectual, artistic, cultural and social effervescence. Renoir received the greatest: Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Auguste Rodin, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso…
From an estate to a museum
On the death of Auguste Renoir, the property was left to his son Claude. He lived there until 1960. In 1959, the estate hosted the shooting of the movie Picnic on the Grass, a feature film directed by his son Jean. In 1960, the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer bought the property in order to establish a museum where you can discover the living environment that was that of the artist for almost 12 years.
This purchase has made it possible to preserve the premises. The villa has escaped urbanization and retains remarkable gardens on the heights of Cagnes-sur-Mer. The park and gardens are open to the public and host exhibition spaces and sculptures. The flowers, palm trees and olive trees of the estate also offer visitors, adults and children alike, a haven of peace.
Works and collections
The Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer houses fifteen paintings that retrace the major themes so dear to the artist. The Bathers and the Caryatids represent the nude, Coco lisant and Madame Pichon show the painter’s talent for portraiture, the paintings La Ferme, Paysage aux Collettes and La vallée de la Cagne, without forgetting le baou de Saint Jeannet show the inspiration that the French Riviera provides for the painting of landscapes. Other paintings by other painters are presented to the public. Raoul Dufy’s interpretation of the Bal au Moulin de la Galette, for example, is a major work in the museum.
Sculpture, another artistic expression dear to Auguste Renoir, is given pride of place. Visitors can admire very intimate works, such as the bronzes of two portraits of his son Claude, or the bust of Aline destined for his wife’s grave. Various nudes are also presented, such as the Judgement of Paris or Venus Victrix.
Practical information
- Opening days: open all year round six days a week (closed on Tuesday). Closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25.
- Schedule: from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (April and May), from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (June to September), from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (October to March). The park is open continuously from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Label: “Qualité Tourisme”
- Website:http://www.cagnes-sur-mer.fr/
Sélection de musées dans les Alpes-Maritimes
