Cézanne's studio (Atelier de Cézanne) is a museum about the painter Paul Cézanne, in Aix-en-Provence in Southern France. It was his studio from 1902 until his death in 1906.
In November 1901, after the death of his mother and the sale of family property in Aix-en-Provence, Cézanne bought an old farmhouse and 7000 square metres of land on the Lauves hill near the city. It has a view of Montagne Sainte-Victoire, the subject of many oil paintings and watercolours by the artist.
He constructed a studio on the upper floor, lit by large windows on the south side and a glass roof to the north; it was completed in September 1902. The ground floor was used for daily life, and he worked in the studio, creating paintings including The Bathers.
After his death, it passed to his son Paul; it was bought in 1921 by Marcel Joannon (known as Marcel Provence), an admirer of Cézanne. He occupied only the ground floor, leaving the studio upstairs as Cézanne had left it. Artists and art historians, including John Rewald, came to visit. After Joannon's death, John Rewald and the writer James Lord established the Cézanne Memorial Committee; in 1952 the committee had enough funds to purchase the property, which was converted into a museum.
The building is now owned by the Tourist Office of Aix-en-Provence. In Cézanne's former studio there is his work equipment, the models of his final still life paintings and his furniture; there are some watercolours and drawings by the artist. Temporary exhibitions are held, and cultural events take place.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.