Dominique, Véronique, Christiane, and I drove 1½ hours to Aix-en-Provence to see the Cézanne en Provence Exposition at Musée Granet. Dominique had bought the tickets about four weeks ago, so we didn’t have to wait in line to get in. The Musée Granet has been closed to the public for over four years for renovation work. The purpose of this introductory exhibition of Cézanne is just to give us a taste of what to expect at the museum before its permanent re-opening in 2007. In this centenary year of Cézanne’s death, this particular exhibit is especially relevant, since it is in Aix-en-Provence that Cézanne was born and was deeply inspired. A walking tour of his associations in Aix is marked on the sidewalks with brass plaques, to allow those interested to follow in his footsteps around the city. It is enlightening to come face-to-face with many of the real-life Provençal subjects of the works displayed in Cézanne’s works, such as Jas de Bouffan, which was his family home, and, of course, the imposing Montagne Sainte-Victoire, which he painted prolifically.
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