Inaugurated in 1838, the Granet Museum offers a journey through nearly 4,500 square meters in the former Priory of Malta – a magnificent 17th-century building – complemented by some 700 square meters of additional exhibition space in the heart of the Chapel of the White Penitents, a true jewel of Aix-en-Provence architecture built in 1654. An artistic journey through 750 works, leading us from the Italian and Flemish Primitives to the masters of the Renaissance, and on to masterpieces of modern and contemporary art, passing through archaeological treasures and a magnificent sculpture gallery showcasing the great figures of the region, from Vauvenargues to Mirabeau. A dizzying array of names, the likes of which no other museum in France can boast today, showcasing works by Rubens, Rembrandt – including an incredible self-portrait marked by the traces of life – Géricault, David, and Ingres – with his monumental Jupiter and Thetis (1811), spanning over 3 meters – alongside masters of modern art such as Mondrian, Balthus, Fernand Léger, Picasso, Braque, Dubuffet, de Staël, and Paul Klee. The native son of Aix, Paul Cézanne, holds a place of honor in this museum, which he himself frequented during his lifetime. Here, one can admire an unparalleled collection of paintings, drawings, watercolors, and engravings, including iconic pieces such as a painting that foreshadowed the monumental versions of the Large Bathers, a still life from his youth, a Portrait of Madame Cézanne, a canvas in homage to Delacroix, and the recent acquisition of the Granet Museum: the Portrait of Zola, the only known portrait by Cézanne to date. Another remarkable figure is Alberto Giacometti, represented by some twenty exceptional works (paintings, sculptures, and drawings). To complete this journey through the giants of art, we encounter in the galleries the gentle paintings of Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Gauguin, and Bonnard... A marvelous blend of eras, like an intoxicating voyage through the treasures of art history.

This early work, painted in Paris in 1862-1863, dates back to the time when Cézanne and Zola, still relatively unknown, were friends and classmates at the Collège Bourbon. Carefully preserved for 40 years in the safe of his art dealer, Ambroise Vollard, the canvas was forgotten until it resurfaced in 2010 at auction. This provided the Musée Granet with the opportunity to acquire another key work by the Aix-en-Provence painter.

ZOOM ON Paul Cézanne, The Bathers: With its fragmented brushstrokes and nuanced hues, Paul Cézanne's painting influenced many Neo-Impressionist and Cubist artists, so much so that he was dubbed "the father of modern art" by Pablo Picasso. Located in a prime location, several of his masterpieces are on display, including the celebrated View from Jas de Bouffan, the preparatory sketch for his Large Bathers, a Portrait of Madame Cézanne, and the recently acquired Portrait of Emile Zola.

Reservation required

GRANET MUSEUM
Place Saint-Jean-de-Malte 13100 Aix-en-Provence
Open daily 10am-6pm, except Mondays. Admission: €6 - Concessions: €5 - Free for under 18s