During renovations to the childhood home of French painter Paul Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence, France, a previously unrecorded mural by the master impressionist was discovered under layers of plaster and wallpaper.
The mural, found last August in the Grand Salon of the home known as Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, marks the tenth mural to be uncovered on the property. The discovery occurred as the residence underwent renovations in preparation for a celebration of Cézanne’s connection to the city.
The nine previously unearthed murals, all painted between 1859 and 1869, were transferred to canvases after the home was sold to the Granel-Corsy family in 1899. These murals have since found homes in museums worldwide, including the Petit Palais and Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Chrysler Museum of Art, and the Nakata Museum in Onomichi, Japan.
Included in John Rewald’s catalogue raisonné of Cézanne’s works (1996), the nine murals will now be joined by the newly discovered piece, which will be added to the updated online version of the catalogue.
The newly found mural depicts long pennants billowing in the breeze, what appear to be ship masts with flags, and a row of buildings on the right side of the wall. According to The Art Newspaper, Cézanne drew inspiration from other artists, such as Claude-Joseph Vernet or Claude Lorrain, when creating the murals at Bastide du Jas de Bouffan. This particular mural, named “Entrée du port” (Entrance to the Port), is believed to have been influenced by those artists.
Experts suggest that much of “Entrée du port” was painted over by Cézanne with his 1864 work “Jeu de cache-cache” (Game of Hide & Seek). Upon moving in, the Granel family likely covered any remaining parts of “Entrée du port.”
“Entrée du port” stands as the sole remaining work by Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence. Aix’s mayor, Sophie Joissains, shared her excitement on Facebook upon announcing the discovery, stating, “With this unexpected discovery… Aix-en-Provence [will] write the history of his affiliation with the [Cézanne]. He is the emblem and ambassador of our City.”
