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The facade of the Hôtel de Caumont on the main courtyard. |
Under the leadership of Culturespaces, the Hôtel de Caumont, a former music conservatory well-known to the people of Aix, has been reborn in all its 18th-century glory. A place dedicated to the arts, open to life.
Between courtyard and garden, a stone's throw from Cours Mirabeau
The façade of this jewel of Aix's Baroque heritage, its balconies, the large glass roof, the monumental staircase, all the interior decorations and plasterwork have been restored in compliance with the conservation rules for Historic Monuments under the expertise of Mireille Pellen, heritage architect. Inspired by the talent of Provençal artists of the Age of Enlightenment, art workshops, stonemasons, glassblowers, ironworkers, and gilders have recreated the soul of Pauline de Caumont's mansion. Even the gardens, redesigned in the spirit of the place, according to the archive plans of Robert de Cotte: geometric layouts, flowerbeds of Mediterranean species, pond and water features, where the Café terrace opens up, offering a delicious, refreshing break. The cultural program will put the Fine Arts in the spotlight with, each year, two major temporary exhibitions devoted to artists from ancient art to the present day.
Opening with “Canaletto, The Triumph of Light”
Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, a major painter of 18th-century Venice, pioneered veduta painting. Accurately yet poetically depicting views of Venice, he magnified his city with scenes imbued with a precise and warm light. With more than fifty works, paintings, drawings, and a multimedia installation, the exhibition offers a new interpretation of different moments in his career, from Rome, London, to Venice. The exhibition curator, Dr. Bozena Anna Kowalczyk, was able to attribute four new paintings to Canaletto, from private collections or the National Gallery in London, and presented here. This is the first time that the artist's works have been so clearly presented, from his early years to the last period of his life.
Open to the public Wednesday, May 6, 2015 (open day from 10 a.m. to midnight).
3 rue Joseph Cabassol
