t
seems there is something about the light in Antibes
that enchants artists. Wandering around the Old Town,
you will come across many little art galleries and
shops with works by local painters. Yet they are
only following in the footsteps of some of the greatest
names.
Monet
painted a great many views of the Old Town across
the water of Salis bay, trying the capture the magic
of the light and color.
Picasso
also spent some time in Antibes at the medieval castle
Chateau Grimaldi, just a couple of minutes walk from Les
Trois Palmes, which has since become a museum
bearing his name, with collections not just of his
own works but also those of other artists associated
with Antibes.
Other notable names include Renoir, Paul Signac, Hans
Hartung, Nicolas De Staël, Leonard Wren and Veronique
Vadon.
Antibes has been just as popular with writers.
Graham
Greene must be one of the most travelled authors
of all time. Yet, in his later years, there was just
one place he preferred to live. He stayed in a small
apartment in Rue Pasteur overlooking the port so
as to be close to the woman he loved.
They
used to have lunch every day at Chez Felix, just
a minute's walk from Les Trois Palmes. Some
of his short stories. such as May We Borrow Your
Husband, are set in the Old Town.
Somerset
Maugham lived for some time in the Villa Lawrence
on the Ramparts of Antibes just beside the Picasso
museum. He wrote The Razor's Edge in Antibes.
His short stories include the Three Fat Women
of Antibes which is set in the Hotel du Cap on
the Cap d'Antibes. |