This past spring, in Renoir's garden near Nice, France, centuries-old olive trees that had been severely cropped after some frosty winters were crowned with new branches. They are but one sign that the place where the Impressionist master spent his last years is recovering from a long period of neglect.
"Cagnes must mean Renoir, as Giverny now means Monet," says Georges Dussaule, curator of the Musee Renoir, who seeks to recapture the atmosphere of the time when Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived and worked there.
Renoir devotees, the Cagnes municipality, and the French government are backing Dussaule's project. Several years ago, the property was acquired from Renoir's youngest son, Claude. "If we hadn't moved quickly, there might have been Residences Renoir growing on this hill instead of olive groves." By which the curator means that housing developments would have sprung up by the dozens. History repeats itself: Eighty years ago, Renoir bought this land to preserve the trees from developers who were turning the beachside of Cagnes into a busy suburb of Nice.
Les Amis du Musee Renoir, an American offshoot of the Vieilles Maisons Francaises, held gala events in Washington, Boston, and New York. Says Dussaule, "They raised 250,000 francs. Everything helps. People keep stopping by to offer mementoes. They are happy to bring them; I'm happy to have them."
Although the house and gardens were soon opened to the public, only reproductions and photographs were hung on the walls. Before the priceless Renoir paintings themselves could be shown in their original setting, security had to be ensured. A stone wall has since been built to enclose the 1¾ acres of property, and sophisticated alarm devices have been installed.
Seven of the works Renoir painted here--formerly in other French museums like the Musee Cheret in Nice or the Louvre--were brought back for the official reopening on June 30, 1989, in the presence of a representative of the French Minister of Culture. The painting Ferme des Collettes (Farm at Les Collettes), acquired specifically for the Renoir Museum with 980,000 francs of government and municipal funds a few years ago, will come out of the safe. "At long last," says the curator.
Though much still must be done to re-create the gardens, as one wanders in them, Renoir paintings inevitably come to mind: a couple stretch out on the grass, a child plays beside them, a woman in a red blouse walks a long a path. The gardener's old farmhouse is more hidden that framed by gnarled olive trees.
On a bench, a man is busy sketching. Watching him, Dussaule adds, "The garden has always attracted artists. Renoir and his friends painted Les Collettes from every angle: Recently, I came across a small drawing done by Bonnard. I hope Sunday painters keep on combing. I trust we can offer at least three Renoir scholarships to art students." The old farm is being renovated to include studios, a library, and a place to show Renoir's photos and family movies. Dussaule is also thinking of a cafeteria and a bookstore for art books, prints, postcards, and posters. "I only draw the line at tee-shirts." Currently, the curator is at work on a catalog centered on Renoir's Cagnes
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