Matisse Chapel at Vence
June 18, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
The south of France – especially the south-east of France – attracted many artists during the decades between 1890 and 1960, several of whom later became household names with paintings and artworks valued at millions of dollars. This we all know.
In a village a few kilometres inland from Cagnes-sur-Mer on the French riviera is a great work of art that will never be sold and is impossible to value – the Matisse chapel at Vence. Matisse himself is said to have claimed it was his greatest work.
Built after world war 2 between 1949 and 1951 it was Matisse who designed every aspect of the chapel after the suggestion of Sister Jacques-Marie (who had worked for Matisse before entering the convent). It is useful to remember that Matisse was 77 years old when he started on the project – most artists create their greatest works when they are rather younger!
Vence chapel is a small, understated building, although the tall cross on the roof gives a clue that it is something out of the ordinary – in particular the crescent moons that decorate it. Not entirely conventional for a church cross.
