Musée Matisse, Nice, France - SpottingHistory.com

The Musée Matisse in Nice is a national museum devoted to the work of French painter Henri Matisse. It gathers one of the world's largest collections of his works, tracing his artistic beginnings and his evolution through his last works. The museum, which opened in 1963, is located in the Villa des Arènes.

The Villa des Arènes was constructed from 1670 to 1685. Upon its completion, it was named the Gubernatis palace after its sponsor and owner, Jean-Baptiste Gubernatis, then consul in Nice. The villa took its current name in 1950, when the City of Nice, anxious to preserve it, bought it from a real estate company.

The museum was created in 1963 and occupied the first floor of the villa, the ground floor being then occupied by a museum of archaeology. In 1989, the archaeological museum was moved to the nearby ancient site of the city, allowing the Musée Matisse to be expanded. It was closed for four years during renovations, and reopened in 1993. With a new modern wing as well as renovated spaces, the museum could exhibit its entire permanent collection, which has continued to increase since 1963 through several successive acquisitions and donations.

The museum's permanent collection is made up of a variety of donations, primarily those of Matisse himself, who lived and worked in Nice from 1917 to 1954, and those of his heirs, as well as works contributed by the State.

References:

Wikipedia

Museums in France

User Reviews

Rebecca Hindrichs (3 years ago)
Great museum. Download their audio guide from the app store in advance so you can listen to it for free using the museum wifi. Don't forget headphones! Not all of the painting are clearly labelled with the audio symbol, so pay attention because we missed a few.

Mark Bau (3 years ago)
Completely underwhelmed by this museum, it’s as if all they have is unfinished work or his seconds,there were none of his best known works. Maybe their good stuff was out on loan. Wouldn’t waste my time on this place which was a pity as I love Matisse’s work.

Elena Webb (3 years ago)
I rarely give lower reviews to museums and I wasn’t expecting I would for this one. My expectations were higher and looking at the beautiful mansion that houses the Matisse museum I had a different idea what it would be like... Matisse is among my favourite painters but here he’s not represented the way you can feel his art and soul. It’s rather plain, bland... Missing inspiration quite a bit. On the positive side, hang on to your ticket, it’s valid for 24 hours and gives admission to other museums.

Chris De Christophe (3 years ago)
Wonderful museum dedicated to Matisse. We took a bus from central nice to this museum on the outskirts. Lovely building, and the beautiful art is very well curated and displayed. Very relaxed atmosphere (well it is southern France). Matisse work was distinctive, but possibly not for me.

The Aardvark Arrives (3 years ago)
This excellent smaller museum describes how Matisse developed through his life, from his first painting of some old brown books to his vibrant cut-outs. Don't go there expecting major works - they're all in national museums. But this lovely collection - uncluttered, beautifully displayed and with images from his life - is a joy to see. The black and white photos of Matisse's models are particularly interesting. There's a fab little shop - you will definitely buy something! Then go for a drink and a snack in the outdoor cafe in the adjoining park - just go out of the museum exit and turn right. You can get to the museum on the bus or walk up the back streets, gazing at the beautiful houses with abundant orange and lemon trees in their gardens - so jealous. It was all wonderful - loved it!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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