November 5, 2025
Experience the beauty of Aix-en-Provence without leaving Coral Gables.
I recently traveled to Aix-en-Provence for the city’s celebration of Paul Cézanne, photographing mansions, doorways, fountains, carrousels, and markets. All these images come together in a special presentation which showcases photographs of Cézanne’s home, landscapes, and exhibits in Coral Gables’ French sister city.
This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to reserve your seat.
Learn more about the event with this article in the latest edition of the Coral Gables Gazette.
November 5 2025
6:00 pm–7:30 pm
Coral Gables Library
3443 Segovia
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Presentation
This presentation was given live at the Coral Gables Public Library on Nov. 5 between 7P- 8:30P. All of the photos in this presentation were taken by me.
The presentation is about Aix-en-Provence, a sister city of Coral Gables, and the 2025 Year of Cézanne that took place in Aix this past summer. Aix is a city famous for its hotel particuliere, or mansions, dramatic doorway entrances, fountains, and it’s markets. The various markets sell fruits/vegetables, local products, flowers, clothing, and decorative objects. There are different museums in Aix. Also, Château Vauvenargues, just next to Aix-en-Provence was bought by Picasso—Slide 10. Picasso wanted to live by Mt. Sainte Victoire—Cézanne’s mountain—and it’s where he is buried. Picasso called Cézanne "the father us all." Cézanne is thought of as the precursor to Cubism.
The Musée Granet’s exposition displayed Cézanne’s paintings that came from different museums around the world with the main themes of Cézanne’s work such as early oils painted directly on the plaster walls in the Grand Salon at Jas de Bouffon—the family home. I took the tour of the 18th century family home at Jas de Bouffon. Many of the early paintings of Cézanne that were painted directly on the plaster walls in the Grand Salon at J de B were removed and sold by the new owners of J de B (Granel family) after J de B was sold to them. Some of these paintings like the Four Seasons series were covered by wallpaper before being sold by the Granel family. These early oil paintings have been found in different parts of the world and are reunited for the first time at the Musée Granet exposition. I took several photos of Jas de Buffon and they can be seen here. Cézanne’s first studio can be seen here on the upper left side of Slide 66. Also, slide 72 shows the view Cézanne had from the studio. J de B was Cézanne’s first indoor and outdoor studio. Cézanne painted over 60 outdoor paintings and watercolors, etc. at J de B.
I visited the Atelier des Lauves studio where Cézanne painted between 1902-6 after J de B was sold. Some of the decorative objects used in his paintings can be seen in this studio.
I also visited Bibémus, the rock quarry where Cézanne painted between 1895 and 1904. Cézanne was inspired by the distinctive features of the quarries and the cabanon (cabin) where he stored supplies and sometimes slept. The sandstone from these quarries was used in the buildings of Aix. Slides 87 and 88 show the view from Bibémus of Mt. Sainte Victoire, the limestone mountain that Cézanne painted throughout his life.
I also visited the Museum of Old Aix which had an exhibit talking about Cézanne and his relationship with the people of Aix. Cézanne was regarded as an outsider, although he did have lifelong friends.
Last of all I visited the JARDIN DES PEINTRES—GARDEN OF THE PAINTERS, where Cézanne painted 11 oils and 17 watercolors of Mt. Sainte Victoire. This location is also known as the Terrain des Peintres-Land of the Painters. At this garden there are 9 replicas of the 11 oil paintings of MSV. Cézanne painted these paintings between 1902-6. Slide 97 is my photo of this location.
I close this talk with a photo taken at the highest point on the Lauves Hill of MSV taken by Chemin de la Marguerite- slide 100.
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Event Photos
