Caumont Art Centre Birth of a new cultural institution in Aix

Contents
P. 3 – Press release
P. 5 – A little history…
P. 6 – A mansion built "between court and garden"
P. 8 – Restoration of the Hôtel de Caumont: the renovation of the façade
P. 9 – Restoration of the 18th century interior decoration
P. 10 – Restoration of the gardens
P. 11 – The cultural project of the Caumont Art Centre
P. 12 – Inaugural exhibition: Canaletto – Roma, London, Venice. The Triumph of Light
P. 20 – Culturespaces, owner of the Caumont Art Centre
P. 21 – The Culturespaces Foundation
P. 22 – Visuals available for the press
P. 28 – Practical information
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Caumont Art Centre
PRESS RELEASE
Birth of a new cultural institution in Aix-en-Provence
- Opening May, 6th 2015 On 6th May 2015 Culturespaces will open the doors of Caumont Art Centre. Located a few steps away
from the Cours Mirabeau at the former Hôtel de Caumont, a jewel of the eighteenth century currently
undergoing restoration, this new cultural institution will quicken the heartbeat of Aix-en-Provence.
The cultural programming of Caumont Art Centre will highlight the Fine Arts, with two major temporary
exhibitions every year dedicated to the world’s greatest masters - from ancient art to modern painting.
Its inaugural exhibition, from 6th May to 13th September 2015, will present a retrospective entitled
Canaletto, Rome - London - Venice. The triumph of light.
Apart from painting, other art forms will benefit from the privileged setting of Caumont Art Centre.
From the outset, continuous screenings of a newly produced film dedicated to Paul Cézanne will take place
in the auditorium of the Art Centre, and starting in the autumn of 2015 concerts, artistic performances and
forums will be scheduled. Moreover, with a terrace overlooking the shady gardens, the Café Caumont will
offer a pleasant stopover right in the heart of the Mazarin district.
Caumont Art Centre, in an ancient mansion undergoing full restoration
To host this new art centre, an extensive program of repair work and development is currently in
progress over the entire 2,500 m² surface of the Hôtel de Caumont. The façade, the interiors and the
gardens are undergoing an exemplary restoration, supported by the State and by the City of Aix-enProvence. 300 years after the first stone was laid, this remarkable building, classified as historic monument,
will open a new page of its cultural history.
This is the first time that Culturespaces has acquired a location for the creation of a new arts centre. “It
is our ambition that by virtue of its artistic programming the Caumont – Art Centre will assert itself as a
major venue in the cultural life in Aix-en-Provence and South of France: a place where one can discover and
share art, music and dance with passion”, announced Bruno Monnier, President of Culturespaces.
“Thanks to the ambitious program of renovation that we are undertaking at the Hôtel de Caumont, we are
going to create an exceptional visitor experience at this Art Centre. On this occasion, we are delighted to
restore all the splendour inherited from the 18th century to this jewel of Aix’s heritage, to transform it into
an institution dedicated to the arts, vibrant and open”.
For over 20 years, Culturespaces has embellished, animated and wholly managed the monuments,
museums and heritage sites that have been entrusted to it by public institutions. The majority are located
in the south: the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the Villa Kérylos at Beaulieu-surMer, the Carrières de Lumières and the Château des Baux-de-Provence, the Amphitheatre of Nimes, as
well as the Roman Theatre of Orange. Each year Culturespaces with its 250 collaborators, welcomes in 13
monuments and museums over 2.3 million visitors.
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PRESS RELEASE
A rich cultural program, developed by Culturespaces
The conception of a diverse program with a constant emphasis on quality and innovation is the main
preoccupation of Sophie Aurand-Hovanessian, head of cultural programming and exhibitions at Caumont
Art Centre. She explains: “The art displayed in the exhibitions should stir the visitors and open new horizons
of curiosity for them. Innovating in order to surprise, developing novel approaches to deepen artistic
knowledge, these are our cultural ambitions at the Caumont – Art Centre. On each occasion we want to
offer a new experience to our visitors and enhance their journey thanks to a scenography capable of
providing multiple viewpoints on the subject by means of sound, music, images, video, interactive
technologies... More than just a venue for exhibitions, Caumont – Art Centre is a place where art comes
alive."
Thus each year the programming of the Caumont Art Centre will revolve around two large scale
temporary exhibitions. In parallel, a film depicting the life of Cézanne in the Aix region will be shown every
day, and concerts, musical performances and conferences will round off the program of events at the
Caumont Art Centre.
Spotlight on Canaletto for the inaugural exhibition
Caumont Art Centre is preparing its inaugural exhibition: Canaletto - Rome, London, Venice. The Triumph
of Light, from 6th May to 13th September 2015. On this occasion, a remarkable selection of masterpieces
of 18th century Venetian painting, ranging from very large format canvases to intimate drawings, has been
assembled by the general curator of the exhibition, Bozena Anna Kowalczyk, with the support of renowned
international museums. The greatest international museums have granted their support. Among them: the
Royal Collection and the National Gallery of London, the Metropolitan Museum of New York, the Uffizi
Gallery of Florence as well as the Ca’Rezzonico of Venice.
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A little history...
In the early 18th century, François Rolland de Réauville, Marquis de Cabanes, who by inheritance took the
name of François de Tertulle, wished to build a mansion worthy of his position as second President at the
Court of Auditors of Aix-en-Provence. He chose the Mazarin district and asked Robert de Cotte, steward
and principal architect of the King's Buildings, to draw up plans of a residence that would set itself apart
from the other mansions in the area. The first stone was laid on 4th April 1715.
The construction spanned thirty years.
On the death of François Rolland, his wife, who was childless and now a widow, exchanged the mansion for
that of Jean-Baptiste de Bruny, baron of the Tour d'Aigues, who owned one nearby. His grandson JeanBaptiste Jérôme de Bruny, a great art lover, then assumed responsibility.
Pauline, marquise de Caumont
In 1795, Jean-Baptiste Jérôme Bruny died and his daughter Pauline, born in 1767, inherited his belongings
after her broher’s death. The following year she married Amable of Seytres, Marquis de Caumont.
Henceforth the mansion took the name of Hôtel de Caumont. Pauline was at this time a living legend in Aix;
she was born during the reign of Louis XV and as an adolescent, of great beauty, she grew up in luxury and
with the taste of Versailles.
She gave a new impetus to life at the Hôtel de Caumont by organising numerous receptions, plays and
concerts there. On the advent of the French Revolution, Pauline retired from high society life and the
splendour of the Hôtel de Caumont faded. In 1850, Pauline died childless. Her sole heir, Louis-Charles de
Bruny, sold the Hôtel de Caumont to Jean-Baptiste Albert de Roux in 1854. The last private owner to live in
the mansion was General Isembart.
A sanctum of the Resistance
After an initial lavish lifestyle in the company of the noble families of Aix, during the Second World War the
mansion figured amongst the places that marked the history of the French Resistance. At this time the
mansion was rented as several apartments. Hélène Ardevol (1892-1976), the concierge, courageously gave
shelter to many members of the Resistance. A commemorative plaque at the entrance of the building pays
tribute to her.
A former music academy
The mansion began a third life under the banner of the arts and public interest when the city of Aix-enProvence in 1964 bought it from General Isembart to set up the Darius Milhaud National Conservatory of
Music and Dance.
Caumont – Art Centre: a venue for art and culture
Today, under the auspices of its new owner, Culturespaces, the Hôtel de Caumont becomes the Caumont –
Art Centre and is about to write a new cultural page of its history.
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A mansion built "between court and garden"
Unlike many private mansions in Aix-en-Provence which open directly onto the street, the Hôtel de
Caumont is built “between court and garden”: it is organised according to the sort of plan that appeared in
Paris during the 16th century, which on an urban scale corresponds to a chateau and its park. It is
characterised by four elements which move progressively from the public to the private space: the
entrance gateway, the carriage courtyard, the main building and the garden. By the sheer scale of its
design, unparalleled in Aix-en-Provence, by its harmonious proportions and the classicism of its façade, it
represents a magnificent illustration of 18th century French architecture. Features of outstanding quality
include the carriage gateway, the façade, and the staircase with wrought iron bannister, all of which were
included in the inventory of Historic Monuments in 1925 with the entire hotel being so-classified in 1987.
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Key figures for the restoration of the Hôtel de Caumont Art
Centre
10 million Euros
The cost of the acquisition of the Hôtel de Caumont from the municipality of Aix-en-Provence by
Culturespaces in December 2010.
2500 m2
The surface area of the Hôtel de Caumont.
18 months
The duration of the project for the complete restoration of the Hôtel de Caumont: from September 2013 to
February 2015.
12.6 million Euros
The total cost of the restoration work, equipment, furnishings and decoration.
Breakdown of the costs incurred in the complete restoration of the Hôtel de Caumont :
- State subsidy (DRAC)*: €945,000
- Subsidy from the municipality of Aix *: €579,000
- Sponsorship: €234,000
- Culturespaces: 10.8 million Euros.
* The subsidies were given for the restoration of the facades, woodwork, ironwork, roof, decorations and
plasterwork of this hotel which is a listed Historic Monument.
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Restoration of the Hôtel de Caumont
Starting in July 2013, an extensive restoration program was launched to restore the Hôtel de Caumont to
its former glory. Supervised by the Regional Department of Cultural Affairs, the Regional Directorate for
the Conservation of Historical Monuments and the Architect of the Buildings of France, this program draws
on the expertise of Mireille Pellen, Heritage Architect.
It follows a prior historical and scientific diagnosis, carried out under the supervision of the Directorate of
Museums and Heritage of the City of Aix-en-Provence, with the help of historians, heritage architects,
specialised restoration artisans and multidisciplinary technical consultants. Based on archive documents
and the current state of the building, this substantial study, delivered in April 2012, established a precise
diagnosis of the extent and nature of work to be performed.
© Stéphanie Tétu
The first stage of the restoration program, the renovation of the façade,
has allowed Culturespaces to highlight the "baroque Aix style" of the
Hôtel de Caumont which served as a model for several other buildings in
Aix. Of an elegant sobriety, the external decoration of the facade is a
harmonious blend of the Parisian style, marked by its classicism, and that
of Aix, more baroque and with a Provençal accent. Their opposition is the
foundation of the stylistic originality of the venue and the quality of its
implementation. "We rediscover here the expertise of the architect
Robert de Cotte, who composes and plays with the alternation of styles
to magnify the facade", explains Mireille Pellen. Among the Provençal
artists who have contributed to its decoration are some of the most
memorable figures in Aix-en-Provence – the sculptors Toro and Chastel,
and the locksmith Mignet.
© Stéphanie Tétu
The renovation of the façade
"During the renovation of the facade, stonemasons replaced
the worst affected stonework, in particular on the northern
face of the hotel. On the eastern façade, the entire glass
window that bestows all its charm and brightness on the
entrance hall has been restored. New mouth-blown glass
elements have been installed, giving a very beautiful
luminosity", indicates Mireille Pellen.
Substantial work was undertaken on the ironwork by the
Romano locksmithy, located at Combas in the Gard region.
The various decorative motifs of the guard rails and balconies
of the mansion, badly corroded by rust or damaged by
superman
water and frost infiltrations, had to be dismantled
and meticulously restored in the workshop. Thus, each
broken or damaged part was carefully refurbished with pure iron and then covered with a zinc-rich paint.
The great balcony, decorated with beautifully crafted ironwork is now gilded with fine gold.
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The restoration of the 18th century interior decoration
The architecture of the Hôtel de Caumont has suffered unfortunate transformations during the 20th
century (loss of some plasterwork, destruction of fireplaces, removal of walls, demolition of ceilings, etc).
In order to restore the Hôtel de Caumont’s beauty and atmosphere, in the purest spirit of the Age of
Enlightenment, and to reinstate the original interior layout as conceived by the architect Robert de Cotte,
the major works of restoration have been carried out in compliance with the rules governing the
conservation of historic monuments and under the supervision of the Regional Department of Cultural
Affairs.
Didier Benderli, in charge of the interior decoration
For the interior decoration of Caumont - Art Centre, Culturespaces has called on the expertise of Didier
Benderli, head of the company Kérylos Interiors.
Born in Paris, Didier Benderli studied architecture at the UP8 School and the history of art at the Sorbonne.
After graduation, he left to work in South America where he directed many projects, particularly in Brazil.
In 1989, he joined the Jacques Garcia Agency where he spent 12 years as artistic director. He created his
own agency, KERYLOS INTERIORS, in 2001. An eye for detail has always led Didier Benderli towards the
creation of unique places. He seeks out and is inspired by their history so as to give them a new life, talking
account of the functional aspects but never sacrificing aesthetics. Personalising the site according to the
building in which he is working, neither refuting nor opposing its architecture, such is the guiding principle
of the artistic impetus that characterises Didier Benderli.
He summarises the key principles that led to his choices for the Hôtel de Caumont:
We have been able to rekindle the past by means of surveys that have allowed us to identify the original
colours of the beautiful plasterwork decorations that we are carefully restoring. The decorative elements,
today disappeared, are testimonials to the lavish parties given by Pauline de Caumont in her youth.
ssssssssss
We have these events to guide our present choices, the objective
We
have imagined
being to recreate a harmony, an alchemy between past memories and the
present heartbeat of this mansion. In this approach, we sought out the
colours and materials that were used in the most beautiful eighteenth
century French houses, right up to Versailles. On the instigation of Marie
Antoinette, Madame de Pompadour and other women of good taste, pinks,
mauves, pale blues and other fresh and joyous colours decorated the salons
of the Age of Enlightenment; they will once again adorn those of the Hôtel de
Caumont. We have also reconstructed a library and a museum of curiosities,
places that were an absolute must in those days. Indeed, knowledge and
pleasure mingled here in a subtle blend that we aspire to create anew at the
Hôtel de Caumont”.
© Defrance.de
“The Hôtel de Caumont immediately impressed us as being an exceptional site. First by its architecture and
its interior volumes, then by its monumental staircase and its skylights, both unique in this city. We
conceived our project around an essential idea: to respect the spirit of the building. But more than simply
aiming for a historical reconstitution, our goal was to truly bring it back to life.
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Restoration of the gardens of the Hôtel de Caumont
When François de Réauville decided to build his private mansion in 1715, he commissioned the architect
Robert de Cotte to draw up plans for the garden of the Hôtel de Caumont in the classic style of the period:
immaculate geometric lines, pursuit of symmetry, open perspective, water parks... all hallmarks of socalled “French gardens”.
Culturespaces is undertaking the reconstruction of the upper and lower gardens in the spirit of the venue,
with the help of archives containing the original plans made by Robert de Cotte.
Thus, the parterre (formal layout) of the upper garden will consist of a lawn interspersed with boxwood
spheres and divided into geometric and symmetrical compartments placed around an ornamental pond. In
these gardens will flourish plants typical of mansion gardens at Aix in the eighteenth century: among the
most common species are laurel and boxwood. There will also be acacia (false-acacia from North America,
established in France in 1601 by Jean Robin), cypress, yew, lime tree, lilac, red and silver maple, and other
plants that are emblematic of the region: the green oak, the agapanthus and the hackberry from Provence.
Hornbeam, mulberry, ivy and magnolia will complement this fine diversity of plants.
The lower garden will comprise a central parterre surrounded by yew hedges, green oaks, roses and a
pond.
Drawing by Robert de Cotte, c. 1720
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Cultural project of the Art Centre of the Hôtel de Caumont
Challenging and diverse, the cultural program at Caumont – Art Centre will be accessible to all, in a venue
that is fully open to the public.
Two major temporary exhibitions each year
Caumont – Art Centre is the setting for an artistic, scientific and educational project spotlighting the Fine
Arts. At the heart of its program, each year: two temporary exhibitions devoted to the great names of the
history of art will occupy the new temporary exhibition halls (8 rooms, comprising a total area of 400 m2)
located on the top two floors. The summer exhibition will be dedicated to the (re)discovery of the great
masters from a new angle; the winter exhibition will reveal treasures from private collections or from
internationally renowned museums. This program is being developed with the help of reputed specialists,
curators and art historians under the supervision of Sophie Aurand-Hovanessian, director of cultural
programming and exhibitions. For each project an original scenography, compliant with international
museum standards, will be put in place.
Daily screening of the film Cézanne in the Aix region
Every day a twenty minute film dedicated to Paul Cézanne (1839- 1906), Cézanne in the Aix region, will be
screened in the auditorium-cinema which seats a hundred people. Directed by Ligne de Front, the film
follows the career of this great Impressionist painter and precursor of Cubism, his passion for Aix-enProvence and its region, through the major events that marked his life and artistic work. Important
specialists on Paul Cézanne have collaborated on this project: Denis Coutagne, art historian and honorary
curator of the Museums of France, and Philippe Cézanne, great-grandson of the master.
Conferences, concerts and performances, periodically
The Art Centre of the Hôtel de Caumont aims to be a venue for exchange and sharing between different
types of artistic expression. As such, it will regularly host performances by artists, dance events, concerts,
as well as readings and lectures aimed at broadening artistic horizons.
Reception areas and the gardens
On the ground floor, in the setting of the old library and the museum of curiosities, the cultural bookstore
and shop will offer literature dealing with the Art Centre’s temporary exhibitions, the private mansions and
the art of the 18th century, as well as a wide range of objects that will prolong the pleasure of the visit. Also
on the ground floor, the historic drawing rooms will offer a real immersion in the 18th century. For a quiet
lunch, a pastry with afternoon tea or a drink in the evening, the Café of Caumont – Art Centre and its
terrace that opens onto the French gardens also take part in the location’s rebirth by offering a delightful
interlude in the heart of Aix-en-Provence.
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Inaugural exhibition
CANALETTO, Rome – London – Venice
The Triumph of Light
6th May > 13th September 2015
Head curator: Dr. Bozena Anna Kowalczyk, specialist in 18th century Venetian painting.
Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto, (Venice 1697–1768) is famous as the most important
Venetian painter of the 18th century; the artist who glorified his city through scenes that are rigorous and
imbued with a precise and warm light.
Canaletto created veduta painting in Venice, depicting with admirable accuracy but also with poetry, the
vistas of his native city. It was in this way that he contributed magnificently to the creation of its myth
throughout Europe. He also painted views of Rome and London in a similar style.
With more than fifty works, including a highly original selection of paintings, the itinerary of the
exhibition offers a new interpretation of the different points in his career, with a particular attention to
his creative process. It is the first time that works from the artist's beginnings, from his English period
and from the latter part of his life are so clearly exhibited.
The research undertaken by the curator, Dr. Bozena Anna Kowalczyk, on the occasion of this exhibition,
enabled her to attribute four new paintings to Canaletto, all four being on display here: Capriccio with
Roman ruins (circa 1720-1721, private collection), Venice: the Basilica of Saint Peter of Castello, and Venise:
Entrance to the Cannaregio (circa 1736, The National Gallery, London), and Capriccio with a church on a hill
(private collection).
In this inaugural exhibition, Culturespaces is also experimenting with a novel type of immersive
presentation. At the heart of the exhibition, a digital and multi-media system complements the works of
Canaletto and enhances the visitor’s experience.
Canaletto
The Bucintoro returning to the Molo
1730-1735
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, UK
© The Bowes Museum
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The itinerary of the exhibition
Room 1 – The beginnings in Rome, 1720
Son of Bernardo Canal, a painter of theatrical scenery, Canaletto’s early career began around 1716,
working with his father on the decors for “music dramas” such as Penelope the Chaste by Fortunato
Chelleri, The Coronation of Darius by Antonio Vivaldi and Turno Aricino by Alessandro Scarlatti. Although
nothing now remains of these theatre sets, the name of Antonio Canal is mentioned on the programmes of
these operas, several copies of which are displayed in the exhibition.
A subtle sound system, at the cutting edge of technology, diffuses extracts of works from this musical era,
that of Venetian baroque.
These early paintings, accomplished in Rome where he had followed his father Bernardo Canal, are
represented in the exhibition by a broad view of the Roman Capitol, bordered by the imaginary ruins of a
colonnade: Santa Maria of Aracoeli and the Capitol (circa 1720, Szépművészeti Museum, Budapest).
Rome was the young painter’s inspiration for the Capricci in which real landscapes are revisited and
embellished with architectural motifs from ancient times, an antiquity that was visible everywhere in the
age-old Roman capital. The tonality is sombre, composed of browns and reds. Architecture dominates the
compositions, populated with bustling characters. Three examples of large formats in this vein are on
display in the exhibition, including one of the new attributions. Even the Arch of Septimius Severus,
seemingly true to its model, is in fact an archaeological interpretation in an imaginary setting.
Room 2 – The first steps in Venice, 1720-1736
On his return to Venice, Canaletto composed views that were closer to reality; although a painter of
Capricci, he was also a vedutist – the vedute are "cityscapes" based on the portrayal of urban landscapes in
full perspective, particularly popular in Venice in the 18th century.
Canaletto began painting views of Venice starting from Saint Mark's Square, which is depicted from
diverse viewpoints in his early works, for example a high angle vista from the vantage point of the Doge's
Palace in St. Mark's Square (Prince of Liechtenstein Collection). The Grand Canal also quickly became one
of his favourite subjects. Venice: The Grand Canal looking north-east, from the Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto
(Ca’Rezzonico, Venice) and Venice: The Grand Canal looking east, from Campo San Vio (Scottish National
Gallery, Edinburgh). The views of the lagoon are a third recurrent theme (Venice: the islands of the lagoon
from Campo San Pietro, with the church of Santa Maria delle Vergini, and Venice: the islands of the lagoon
and the Arsenal, from Campo San Pietro di Castello, Pushkin Museum, Moscow).
Canaletto thus worked on images of a city built on water, fashioned by the light and the atmosphere. In the
1720’s these views met with such success that Canaletto multiplied his sketches in situ from different
angles: none of his compositions are alike. The paint is luminous, the layers of colour are finely spread, the
succession of glazes creates effects of transparency in the sky and in the water; the technique of Canaletto
is perfectly mastered. This is also the period when Joseph Smith, the English consul in Venice, placed many
orders and presented his works to his visitors. In consequence Canaletto painted for many British
collectors, sometimes executing several paintings as a series.
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We often think of Canaletto as a painter of exact reality; his works prove that his concern for accuracy is
naturally blended with a great freedom of imagination and interpretation. The famous Fonteghetto della
farina (in private hands) is unusual both in its subject matter, a small warehouse located at the end of the
Mole, and its composition, with a large open space in the foreground. It is also unusual in the degree of
freedom that the artist grants himself, deciding to give importance to the small building by eliminating
from the view the Mole, the Salute and the church of San Gregorio, which in the angle chosen ought to
dominate the composition. Perhaps a subtle way of paying homage to a sponsor?
Room 3 – Venice as a dream, 1744-1746
Palladian architecture was a particularly important source of inspiration for Canaletto in the years 17431745.
Andrea Palladio (Padua 1508 – 1580 Vicenza) was an architect and theorist of the Italian Renaissance, the
author of a treatise entitled The Four Books of Architecture. His buildings (the San Giorgio Maggiore basilica
in Venice) and his thinking in the 18th century had considerable resonance in England, where a strong neoPalladian movement drew inspiration both from antiquity, close to nature, and from Palladio himself.
Canaletto’s sponsors were also admirers of Palladio, which influenced the painter’s work. Joseph Smith
commissioned thirteen decorated lintels on the theme of Palladio’s Venetian buildings and earlier edifices.
One of them is displayed here: Capriccio: view of Palladio’s project for the Rialto bridge (The Royal
Collection, London).
At the same time, his nephew Bernardo Bellotto reworked a composition similar to The courtyard of the
Doge’s Palace for a Roman-inspired capriccio: Capriccio with the Coliseum (Galleria Nazionale, Parma).
Room 4 – The Venice of the Doges, 1729-1746
In the late 1720’s, Canaletto was known as a painter of historical scenes, with a style of painting that was
highly constructed, luminous and colourful. One of his favourite subjects was the Bucintoro, the
ceremonial state barge on which the Doge embarked on Ascension Day to celebrate the symbolic marriage
of Venice and the sea. A gold ring was cast into the water as a sign of the city’s submission to the sea.
Canaletto was an outstanding chronicler of appearances of the Bucintoro, its lavish gilding and its rich
collection of sculptures being eminently suitable for works of pictorial virtuosity such as : Venice: The
return of the Bucintoro to the Molo on Ascension Day (The Bowes Museum, County Durham.)
Canaletto painted this theme several times, including a painting for the Consul, Joseph Smith. The latter
had an engraving made by Antonio Visentini so as to include it as a print in the Prospectus Magni Canalis
Venetiarum (Prospectus of the Grand Canal of Venice) in 1735. A pictorial album, the Prospectus was also a
catalogue that invited people interested in the work of Canaletto to see the original "in the residence of
the Englishman Joseph Smith", and to eventually commission similar works.
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The years 1736-1740 were the most intense period of Canaletto’s production. The demand for his
paintings was at its peak and the use of assistants was obligatory. Canaletto’s inexhaustible inventiveness
and his search for fresh perspectives were further stimulated by the start of his international success (The
Piazzetta with the south-west corner of the ducal palace and Venice: the Customs Point, private collection).
Room 5 – Venetian Capriccio, a multimedia scenographic system
Midway through the exhibition, a multimedia installation designed by the Venetian artist Gianfranco
Iannuzzi, invites visitors to a daydream along the Grand Canal by means of Canaletto’s vedute. Projected on
a large scale, images of these digitized pictures take shape and are reflected in the waters of the Grand
Canal. The city of the Doges comes to life before the eyes of the spectator. The lapping of water and the
sound of the bells of Santa Maria della Salute transport him to a Venice of baroque beauty and romance.
More information on page 21.
Room 6 – Festivals and libertinage
An interlude evokes the magnificence and splendour of Venice at the time of Canaletto: the importance of
the carnival, which lasted for six months in the year, the splendour of the costumes and masks, the
sumptuary laws passed to restrain the excesses of the population, and of course, the personality of
Casanova, a seductive and gallant rogue, who carried out a spectacular escape from a Venetian jail deemed
particularly secure.
Room 7 – Canaletto, an English passion. London, 1746 – 1756
In the early 1740’s, Canaletto’s commercial market was significantly disrupted by the War of Succession in
Austria (1740 -1748). Venice and England were in opposing camps, and the war led to a sharp decline in
British visitors to Venice. Canaletto moved to London in 1746, aged 49. He returned to Venice permanently
in 1755.
The artist moved to London, in Silver Street (today Beak Street, Soho). In his English paintings Canaletto
managed a remarkable synthesis between the English taste for the topographical style and its own way of
manipulating reality. He alternated between capricci and grand scenes in which he accurately depicted the
banks of the Thames or the castles of the aristocracy. Thanks to an exceptional loan, two beautiful
watercolour drawings of views of the Thames are exhibited together for the first time; they are most
probably matching pieces: A view of Somerset Gardens looking towards London Bridge (The Courtauld
Gallery, London) and The City of Westminster from near the York Water Gate (Yale Center for British Art).
The portrayals of castles were commissioned by their owners, who thereby wished to record the
appearance of their property (Alnwick Castle, Duke of Northumberland’s collection, a medieval castle in
the heart of nature) or it modernisation (Warwick Castle, City of Birmingham Museums).
In the final years of his stay in England, Canaletto multiplied the capricci, juxtaposing themes of ancient
Rome, Renaissance and Palladian Venice, and eluding certain recognition, in the style of the Capriccio with
classical ruins and Renaissance buildings (BNL collection, Rome).
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Room 8 – From drawings to paintings
The study focuses particularly on ten drawings, mostly from the English years or following Canaletto’s
return to Venice. The first set displays drawings that were accomplished by means of the technique of
camera obscura (or “dark room”). The principle, identical the vision of the human eye, has been known
since Aristotle; by allowing the light to pass through a point hole, one obtains a projected image of the real
view, reversed from top to bottom and from right to left. This image may then be traced by the artist and
used as a reference to facilitate the construction of perspective or the restitution of details. Alongside two
drawings made using this technique (The lower course of the Grand Canal, near to the Palazzo Corner (The
Royal Collection, London), and The Foscari Palace (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Trieste)) an example of
a camera obscura is displayed, on which the inscription “A. Canel” suggests that it was possibly owned by
Canaletto (Museo Correr, Venice). The visitor may try out the system himself by means of a facsimile
placed at his disposal.
Other drawings are, in themselves, accomplished works. So it is in the Campo San Giacomo di Rialto
(private collection); on this sheet, the pen strokes are made free hand over the guide lines sketched with a
pencil and ruler, producing an intense area of shade in strong contrast to the areas left blank, thus creating
a particular stylistic impact. Terra firma: Capriccio with country house (Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin) may be
analysed in a similar way; the fluidity of line, often praised in Canaletto, is quite enchanting, and the light
seems glitter in the clear air.
Most of the drawings and the other works on paper play a more complex role in Canaletto’s explorations.
They act collectively as notes on the subject, as a record of compositional elements, as a source of
inspiration that would be reactivated several years or even decades later, as models to be tried out in the
workshop, or as compositions preceding or following a painting. This is the case, for example, of many later
views of Rome: Canaletto never returned there after 1720, but throughout his life he reinterpreted his
early drawings, as, for example, in Rome: the Coliseum (Palazzo Barberini, Rome).
The revisiting of his own engravings, made in the early 1740’s, is a constant theme of Canaletto’s late
pictorial activity, whether he copied his etchings to the letter or whether he was inspired by them. We can
thus follow the creative thread that runs from the original print of 1744, where he established the subjects,
to its resumption in 1760-1765 in which he concluded the composition (Capriccio with a church on a hill,
Victoria & Albert Museum, London). In the painting, the details are finally resolved (private collection). An
engraving by Fabio Berardi (in the Vedute sei di Avanzi rovinosi di fabbriche antiche series, published in
Venice by Giuseppe Wagner) reproduces the painting in fine detail. From paper to canvas, from canvas to
paper, it is a constant to and fro.
Another sketch shows that Canaletto was also inspired by other artists. Capriccio with the Arch of Sergius at
Pola, in Istrie (Metropolitan Museum, New York) illustrates his interest in Roman antiquities in Dalmatia,
then under Venetian rule. It was certainly derived from an engraving or a drawing by another artist, today
unidentified.
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Room 9 – Canaletto and his heirs : Guardi, Bellotto, 1756 – 1768
It is thanks to Canaletto, then Bellotto and finally Guardi, that 18th century Venetian painting was once
again raised to the level of great European art. Canaletto’s last years, following his return from England
until his death in 1768, witnessed the success in Venice of his follower and rival: the vedutiste Francesco
Guardi. At the same time, Bellotto, inspired by Canaletto, was making Venetian veduta painting famous in
Central Europe.
Bernardo Bellotto (Venice 1722-Warsaw 1780) is evoked here by a Capriccio with a house on the lagoon
(National Gallery of Ancient Art, Parma), his last painting of Venice before his final departure in 1747. The
composition is inspired by Canaletto’s most famous etching: La Torre di Malghera. Bellotto lowers the
horizon and enlarges the sky, seeking to capture the essence of the lagoon and its atmosphere in his
painting. This canvas fully expresses the personality of Bellotto and his melancholy way of reflecting reality.
Francesco Guardi (1712-1793) developed an atmospheric sensibility of his own. However, the elegiac
character of his first views of the lagoon amplifies the highly sophisticated traits of Canaletto’s most
accomplished paintings, in the second half of the 1730’s; this is particularly the case with Venice: the
Fondamenta Nuove with the Lagoon and the island of San Michele (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford), an
exceptional loan of the recently rediscovered painting which is displayed in public for the first time.
It is in this background of rivalry that Canaletto ended his career, still producing spectacular set pieces,
such as The return of the Bucintoro to the Mole on Ascension Day, 1760 (Dulwich Picture Gallery, London),
which revisits his composition of 1729, displayed in Room 4. He was elected to the Academy of Painting
and Sculpture of Venice in 1763 as a professor of perspective and architecture.
In spite of all this, Canaletto ended his life on April 19, 1768 in relative poverty. The inventory of his estate
lists the mere sum of 2450 ducats and some worthless belongings.
-----------------------------We would like to thank the most prestigious international institutions, whose support and loans have
enabled us to achieve this ambitious project:
In the United States: the Yale Centre for British Art at New Haven, the Metropolitan Museum of New York.
In Great Britain: the Royal Collection, the National Gallery of London, the Courtauld Gallery, the Victoria &
Albert Museum, the Dulwich Picture Gallery of London, the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, the Bowes
Museum, the Scottish National Gallery at Edinburgh, the Museums of the city of Birmingham, the collection
of the Duke of Northumberland.
In Italy: Museo del Settecento Veneziano Ca’Rezzonico, the Correr Museum, the Galleria dell’Accademia à
Venise, the Fondation Cini, Casa Goldoni and the Marcienne library at Venice, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte
Antica at Trieste, the BNL, the Palazzo Barberini and the Galleria Borghese at Rome, the Galleria degli Uffizi
at Florence.
In Russia: the Pushkin Museum at Moscow.
In Germany: the Alte Pinakothek at Munich, the Kupferstichkabinett at Berlin.
In Hungary: the Museum of Fine Arts at Budapest.
In Austria: the collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein.
In France: the Petit Palais at Paris.
As well as the private collectors who wished to remain anonymous.
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A multimedia scenographic system
At the Hôtel de Caumont Art Centre, Culturespaces is experimenting with a new type of multimedia
exhibition. Complementing the masterpieces loaned by major museums, it introduces new digital and
multimedia features to enhance the visitor’s experience.
Upon entering the exhibition, a directional sound system, at the cutting edge of technology, guides the
visitor in a musical approach to Canaletto’s first Capricci. Indeed, the visitor finds himself immersed in the
first inspirations of the Venetian master, bathed in opera (through arias by Vivaldi and Scarlatti) and in the
midst of the theatre design work of his father Bernardo Canal.
A multimedia installation at the heart of the exhibition
Midway through the exhibition, Capriccio Veneziano, a multimedia installation designed by the Venetian
artist Gianfranco Iannuzzi, places the visitor at the centre of Canaletto’s vedute. This visual and acoustic
immersion offers an innovative way to discover the pictorial world of the master, through the AMIEX®
technology developed by Culturespaces. Projected on a large scale, the images of digitized pictures come
alive and are reflected in the waters of the Grand Canal. The city of the Doges comes to life before the eyes
of the spectator. The lapping of water and the sound of the bells of Santa Maria della Salute transport him
to a Venice of baroque beauty and romance.
Gianfranco Iannuzzi’s digital installation takes a contemporary look at Canaletto’s vedute, and thus offers a
tribute to this great Venetian master. He explains: “The Italian word Capriccio, meaning whim or fancy, is
used in the field of painting to describe the representation of a landscape reconstructed by the imagination.
Canaletto, known for his vedute of Venice, his native city, sometimes took the liberty to create fanciful
compositions. This is the case for one of the paintings used in this installation (Capriccio: the Rialto bridge
and the church of San Giorgio Maggiore) in which he placed side by side the Rialto bridge over the Grand
Canal and the facade of the San Giorgio Maggiore church which is located on the San Marco basin opposite
the Doge's Palace. It is in this spirit of fantasy that I have played with the painter’s various works and
created a triptych depicting an imaginary but plausible Venice. The visual and musical animation of the
paintings will immerse the audience in the Venice of the 18th century. On the floor, a body of water will
recreate the play of reflections that is characteristic of the lagoon’s canals and atmosphere.”
Conception : Gianfranco Iannuzzi
Animation : Massimiliano Siccardi
Production : Culturespaces
Caumont Centre d’Art
Aix-en-Provence 2015
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Culturespaces, owner of the Hôtel de Caumont
With over 20 years experience and more than 2.3 million visitors each year, Culturespaces is the largest
private organisation for the management of French monuments and museums, and one of the leading
players in European culture.
Culturespaces has developed expertise in programming, organising and producing exhibitions and cultural
events, and also undertakes the administration and daily management of museums and Historic
Monuments thanks to the trust of public owners who have delegated their patrimony.
For the first time, Culturespaces is the owner of a venue, the Hotel de Caumont, in which it has created a
new arts centre. It joins a list of prestigious sites that have been entrusted to the administration and
promotion of Culturespaces.
- the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (since 1992)
- the Greek Villa Kérylos, Beaulieu-sur-Mer (since 2001)
- the Carrières de Lumières (the Quarries of Light) at Baux-de-Provence (since 2012)
- the Château of Baux-de-Provence (since 1993)
- the Roman Theater and the Museum of Art and History of Orange (since 2002)
- the Amphitheatre, the Maison Carrée and the Magne Tower at Nîmes (since 2006)
- Aigues-Mortes – The Film, Aigues-Mortes (since 2014)
- the City of the Automobile, Mulhouse (since 1999)
- the City of the Train, Mulhouse (since 2005)
- The Jacquemart-André Museum, Paris (since 1996)
Culturespaces handles staff management plus all services, cultural activities, public reception as well as the
national and international promotion of the sites, using responsible methods of management, certified ISO
9001.
Transmission of patrimony
Recognising that heritage must be preserved for future generations, Culturespaces is involved each year in
funding programs for the restoration of those monuments and collections for which it is responsible. "Our
vocation is to showcase our heritage, to bring it to life so as to facilitate its transmission to future
generations. Our mission is also to democratise access to culture and to open our children’s eyes to our
history and civilization by way of outstanding cultural sites", explains Bruno Monnier, President and
Founder of Culturespaces.
More information at www.culturespaces.com
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A new field of action for the Culturespaces Foundation
Created in 2009 under the aegis of the Fondation du Patrimoine, the Culturespaces Foundation has the
mission of promoting access to the arts and heritage for children who are ill, hospitalised, disabled or
from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Culturespaces Foundation is an operational foundation that initiates, implements, coordinates and
finances different projects aimed at raising the awareness of young people to their heritage and culture.
Its programs invite children to discover historical monuments, museums and cultural sites such as the
Amphitheatre of Nimes, the Roman Theatre of Orange, the Château and the Quarries of Light at Les Bauxde-Provence, the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat ... Its speciality is to prepare
children for a visit to a cultural site by setting up made-to-measure workshops ahead of time in
underprivileged neighbourhoods or at the hospital.
In order to implement its projects, the Culturespaces Foundation builds long-term partnerships with
various childcare facilities: community centres, paediatric hospitals, children’s’ homes, associations... In
particular, the Foundation collaborates with the Necker Hospital for infirm Children, the Curie Institute,
the Apprentis d’Auteuil Foundation, the Secours Populaire, the Rocher Asssociation, and The Key to
Autism, as well as with many social organisations in the Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence Alpes Côted'Azur regions, the Department of Social Action and Solidarity at the City of Marseille…
In 2013 more than 1,000 children benefitted from the actions of the Culturespaces Foundation. In 2014, it
actively continues its efforts, especially at the Carrières de Lumières at Les Baux-de-Provence, the
Amphitheatre of Nimes as well as the Roman Theatre of Orange where it has set up a program called
"Family Heritage", specially designed for autistic children and their families.
In connection with the art centre of the Hôtel de Caumont, the Culturespaces Foundation would like to set
up several partnerships to further extend access to culture for local children, in particular with the Hospital
of Aix-en-Provence and the city’s Department of Social Action.
The initiatives of the Culturespaces Foundation are entirely funded by corporate sponsorship and the
generosity of individual donors.
More information at www.fondation-culturespaces.com
Kids invited by the
Cutlurespaces Fondation to
the 2013 Great Roman Games
in the Nîmes Amphitheatre
© S. Tétu
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Photos of the Hotel de Caumont during restoration
1. Façade overlooking the interior courtyard
© C. Michel
2. The Hôtel de Caumont seen from the corner of rue
Joseph Cabassol and rue Mazarine © C. Michel
3. Entrance gateway to the Hôtel.
© C. Michel
4. Etrance gateway and façade of the Hôtel de Caumont
© defrance.de
5. Façade overlooking the interior courtyard
© C. Michel
6. Façade of the Hôtel de Caumont
© S. Tétu
7. Façade of the Hôtel de Caumont
© defrance.de
8. The Hôtel de Caumont
© defrance.de
9. Restoration of the glass window of the Hôtel de Caumont
© defrance.de
11. Detail of the façade of the Hôtel de Caumont
© Stéphanie Tétu
10. Plasterwork detail in a salon of the Hôtel de Caumont
© Stéphanie Tétu
12. Detail of the ironwork decorating the grand balcony.
© defrance.de
13. An Atlante in the vestibule of the Hôtel de Caumont
© S. Tétu
14. Restauration des dorures de l’Hôtel de Caumont
© defrance.de
15. Restoration of the floors at the Hôtel de Caumont.
© defrance.de
16. A craftsman restoring the plasterwork.
© defrance.de
17. Staircase with handrail.
© S. Tétu
18. Gypseries en cours de restauration
© defrance.de
19. Plasterwork being restored
© defrance.de
Salon des Putti © S. Lloyd
Salon chinois © S. Lloyd
Salon des Rinceaux © S. Lloyd
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Visuals available to promote the exhibition
Canaletto (1697-1768)
The Bucintoro returning to the Molo
c. 1730-1735
Oil on canvas
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle,
Co. Durham, UK
© The Bowes Museum
Canaletto
The Grand Canal, View from the Palazzo Balbi
from the Rialto Bridge
Oil on canvas
144 x 207 cm
Museum del Settecento Veneziano Ca’ Rezzonico
2014 © Archivio Fotografico – Fondazione
Musei Civi di Venezia
Canaletto
Capriccio with Classical Ruins and Renaissance
Buildings
c. 1747-55
Oil on canvas, 81 x 115 cm
Collezione Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, Rome
© collection BNL – BNP Paribas
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Canaletto
Alnwick Castle
1752
Oil on canvas
113,5 x 139,5 cm
Duke of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle
© Collection of the Duke of Northumberland
Canaletto
Doge’s Palace : stairs of the Giants
1745
Oil on canvas
43 x 31 cm
Private collection
© private collection
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Practical information
 ACCESS AND OPENING TIMES
Caumont – Art Centre
3, rue Joseph Cabassol
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Open every day, 365 days a year.
From May to September: 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
rom October to April: 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Late opening on Tuesdays until 9:30 p.m. during exhibitions
The cultural bookshop will be open on the Art Centre’s opening hours, everyday.
More information at www.caumont-centredart.com
 RATES for the tour of the Art Centre + exhibition
Full rate: € 11
Reduced rate: € 8,5
Audioguide (exhibition): € 3
Reduced rate for children aged 7-17, Education Pass holders, students, disability card holders and
unemployed (on presentation of written proof).
Free for children under the age of 7 and journalists (on presentation of written proof).
Offer for families: free entry for the second child aged 7 to 17 when two adults and one child entries have
been bought.
 CONTACTS
Press contact: Claudine Colin Communication
Christelle Maureau & Dereen O’Sullivan
+33 (0)1 42 72 60 01
[email protected] ; [email protected]
Partnerships contact:
Romane Dargent
+33 (0)1 56 59 01 72
[email protected]
Head of sponsorship:
Judith Moreau
+33 (0)1 56 59 01 79
[email protected]
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