Two reasons for visiting this expo before it ends in November.
It’s the last chance to visit the ‘Fondation Regards de Provence’ in its current home in the Palais des Arts. I have grown very fond of this rather dusty old library where they hang Provençal paintings – focusing on one artist at a time. After the mayhem of visiting exhibitions in London, it is wonderful to wander around, often alone with all the paintings. What a treat! The Seyssaud exhibition is the 43rd and final one before they move to their new premises.
Their new gallery will be in the renovated Station Sanitaire Maritime down in docklands. They are going to have much more space – three galleries – and so will be able to exhibit much more of their collection. There will also be a recreation of the building’s history with video and multimedia, plus a café and restaurant. It’s right next to the sea so will have superb views across the Mediterranean which inspired so many of the painters in the museum.
And the second reason – the Seyssaud paintings are wonderfully colourful and totally rooted in our region. He was born in Marseille and although he travelled to Paris and exhibited there, he chose to stay in Provence. According to the info-boards, he married a ‘paysan’ and lived in an isolated house near l’Etang de Berre, very much in tune with nature.
His paintings reflect the passing of the seasons with workers on the land, sowing seeds, gathering lavender or bringing in the harvest. Unlike Millet where the people are predominant, Seyssaud’s workers are an integral part of the landscape, not characters in their own right. But, as the expo shows, he could paint fine portraits, and I enjoyed his still lives which feature local produce in Provencal pots – tians, pots à graisse, cruches. Lovely sunflowers (echoes of Van Gogh) and bathers ( ditto Cézanne) see below.
He spent his winters on the coast as he had health problems – so look out for his views of Cap Canaille, Cassis and the red rocks at Agay.
The museum is open every day 10-18:00hrs. It costs 5€. They have free guided tours on Sundays and Mondays at 10:30.
www.museeregardsdeprovence.com.
(Photo of Seyssaud by Norman Parkinson from National Portrait Gallery London)