If
you’re a fan of Chagall’s colourful and dreamlike compositions, the Chagall
Museum in Nice is a must-see. Nestled in the hillside neighbourhood of Cimiez,
high above the city, the unassuming museum is a haven of tranquillity, housing
a host of treasures.
The
French Riviera has been a source of inspiration for innumerable artists. While
many visited the Cote d’Azur, Marc Chagall was one of the artists that called
the region home.
Chagall
first visited Nice in 1926 but, having had to leave Europe and relocate to the
USA to survive the Second World War, he only lived in Provence from 1950 to
1966.
The Old Testament stories
Opened
in 1973, the museum was created, with the artist’s help, to house his most
important biblical works: 17 paintings depicting the stories of the Old
Testament. Chagall gifted these to the French state in 1966. They are displayed
in the main gallery of the museum, and an audio guide is available to guide
visitors through the images. While I do not consider myself a very religious
person, it is clear that religion was important to Chagall and his
interpretations of the Bible stories, and his representation of them is
fascinating to see.
There
are also several other works to see including other paintings, mosaics, stained
glass windows, tapestries and sculptures.
 |
| A child views Chagall's Creation of man, Nice, France |
Chagall and Nice
As
someone who loves Nice, something I especially enjoyed seeing was the temporary
exhibit showing lithographs of paintings completed by Chagall to promote Nice.
In the early 1960s, Nice Mayor Jean Medecin asked Chagall to create a
promotional poster for the city. The final poster depicted a mermaid with a shock of red hair, holding a
bright bunch of flowers, and floating in the air high above Nice (shown above).
Chagall
created several preparatory gouaches that were since turned into lithographs,
and these are on display this summer (2015). In the dreamlike style of much of
Chagall’s later work, this series depicts couples and mermaids floating over the
buildings lining the Promenade des Anglais. The images are very colourful and
feature a lot of flowers, in a nod to Nice’s vibrant flower market, and the
annual Battle of Flowers.
A
film about Chagall’s life and work also plays in both English and French (at
different times).
 |
| Chagall Museum, Nice, France |
The
museum is open 10:00 – 18:00 during summer and closes at 17:00 during winter.
It is sometimes closed for a few weeks at a time during winter, so it is worth
checking before you visit. Adult entry is 8 Euros, but admission is free on the
first Sunday of each month.
