The hidden treasures of the painter’s Bastide unveiled in a documentary

The former painter’s former home opens for the first time to the public on June 28, as part of the Cezanne year in Aix-en-Provence. Nevertheless, His restoration revealed unpublished works that light up the artist’s life and work. In addition, A film to discover on the France.TV platform.

If there is a place where Paul Cezanne has built his work more than elsewhere. In addition, it is at Jas de Bouffan. Furthermore, For forty years, between 1859 and 1899, the family country house will be his refuge, his workshop, his muse. In addition, “A very strong home port for him” Summarizes Bruno Ely, director of the Granet museum.

He grew up there, surrounded by his parents and his sisters, and realizes it His first works. Similarly, He will often come back to this, according to his misadventures and artist disillusions. Furthermore, And in this place, hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new he will experiment and invent a new way of painting.

Cezanne, a young artist, slowly appropriates each corner of the estate. Nevertheless, It is only with the impressionist experience that he will develop the themes of JAS patterns. However, until his period of maturity in the early 1880s.

It was here. Therefore, in this haven of tranquility. Therefore. that he depicts for the first time the majestic Sainte-Victoire, thus marking the beginning hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new of his tireless quest to capture the essence of the Provençal landscape.

The alley of chestnut trees, the pelvis surrounded by statues, the adjoining farm and of course the country house itself … hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled Additionally, Therefore, Each element of this familiar decor becomes a source of inspiration. Similarly, immortalized on the canvas hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled by its brush.

It is still in Bouffan jas. at different periods, that he signs portraits of members of his family or friends, like Emile Zola. Later. card players. peasants. as subjects, will find a place in the large lounge on the ground floor, where the artist also makes huge wall panels.

In 1899, after the death of his mother, the estate was sold, marking the end of an era. However, the spirit of Cezanne will never completely leave the premises. More than a century later, the hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new Bastide, classified as a historic monument, gradually reveals its secrets.

This is what Maxime Giacometti’s documentary says. For several months, the director followed the catering work, alongside enthusiasts, experts, familiar artist and heritage specialists.

Video duration: 00h02mn12s

Extract from the documentary “Cezanne. the secrets of Jas de Bouffan” produced by Maxime Giacometti • ©Mars Production / Maydia Production / FTV

In 2018. the city of Aix-en-Provence became the owner of the Jas de Bouffan. Very quickly studies are launched: the walls. the floor and the ceiling hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled are inspected, surveyed, analyzed. “We have. as in hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new archeology. stratigraphic layers. then, gradually we have layers which are superimposed and which tell us the decorative projects of the different families who have succeeded each other” explains Pierre Laforest, the administrator of the Cezannian sites.

It feels like discovering something hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled every time. the impression of being at the start of a great adventure.

Antoinette Sinigaglia, restorer of murals, is one of the scientists who made the first samples and the first discoveries. “In 2019. during the very first study. we started to think that elements of the figurative paintings deposited were still in place” she recalls.

In 2023. a boost with a discovery that surprises everyone: in the large living room. a trace of brush, which can only be Cezanne. And hidden under the layers of plaster, a few masts, dwellings, a sky … fragments of hidden treasures painter’s bastide hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new unveiled an unprecedented painter! A port landscape of which no one knew existence.

For Bruno Ely. director of the Granet museum. the discovery of this youth painting is very important: “When we know Cezanne. the work of maturity of Cezanne, we do not expect to see this type hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled of painting, but it is a piece of Cezanne which remained in place in the large living room, a large living room which will count for Cezanne, because it is both his first workshop, in which he works quite freely, and a laboratory.”

Among the other finds, the film also evokes these floral patterns found on the wall, in another room. They strangely recall those of a Cezanne painting, the woman in the coffee maker. “Specialists are asking the question. but in any case. studies reveal that there is a form of convergence between the motif of hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new wallpaper. the cupboard door, the hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled light, the room … Everything seems to indicate that this model may have posed here, in these places” reports Pierre Laforest.

These discoveries are not only hidden treasures. it is also capital information to reconstruct the history of the painter. the country house hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled and enrich the understanding of his genius.

In addition to Bouffan Jas, the film takes us behind the scenes of the Granet museum where an exceptional international exhibition is prepared: from hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new June 28 to October 12, the museum will present more than hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled 130 works from Cezanne, who came from around the world, loaned by prestigious museums and private collectors.

When you started, you couldn’t imagine having an exhibition of 130 works. Of course it was a dream. but we couldn’t imagine being able to realize hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled it as well.

Virginie Lagane. head of the exhibition and audience service

A whole team of enthusiasts orchestrates the transfer and installation of tables. A real tour de force, because these masterpieces, who represent hundreds of millions of euros, are rarely loaned. Negotiations can last for months, every detail is meticulously studied.

The quest is sometimes similar to a real treasure hunt. This is the case of certain wall frescoes of Jas de Bouffan: in 1912. hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new the new owners took them off and cut them to resell them. Twenty-three pieces disappear in nature! What have become of hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled them? “” It has been decades for decades for decades. Bruno Ely, Denis Coutagne and this whole scientific community seek to find the place of the paintings ” underlines Virginie Lagane.

For one of the frescoes – the Batager panel – tenacity ended hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled up paying. After two years of investigation. thousands of phone calls. emails, the team was able to locate the third and last song with a collector, in December 2024. The entire panel will be presented during this large exhibition.

All these events highlight the intimate link of Cezanne with her hometown. The artist is now widely celebrated in the Aix city. the next few months will hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled put him even more in the spotlight.

However, this has not always been the case. As the film reminds us. not only has recognition of the great painter was posthumous. but for a very long time there were no trace of him or his paintings here.

In reality. the “return” of Cezanne to Aix-en-Provence was the fruit of a long-term fight led by some enthusiasts. hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled new such as Denis Courtagne, former director of the Granet museum, Bruno Ely or Philippe Cezanne, the painstive of the painter.

The latter also recounts with amusement the anecdote of an art critical journalist. visiting the Granet museum hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled in the 1950s: “When he asks where he can see Cezanne. we answer him: you make fun of the world, who is this guy? Cezanne, don’t know! He was a little surprised anyway …”

>> Find on France.TV the film “Cezanne et les hidden treasures painter’s bastide unveiled secrets du Jas de Bouffan” by Maxime Giacometti. a co -production France Télévisions, March Production, Maydia Production.

>> Follow our special Cezanne program Sunday June 29 at 12:55 pm on France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur