Fondation Maeght

Description:

• This avant-garde building houses one of the most modern art museums in Europe. On a hill in pine-studded woods, the Fondation Maeght is like Shangri-La. Nature and the creations of men and women blend harmoniously in this unique achievement of the architect José Luis Sert. Its white concrete arcs give the impression of a giant pagoda.

  A stark Calder rises like some futuristic monster on the lawn. In a courtyard, the bronze works of Giacometti and marble statues by Miró and mosaics by Chagall form a surrealistic garden. Sculpture is displayed inside, but the museum is at its best in a natural setting of terraces and gardens. It's built on several levels, its many glass walls providing an indoor-outdoor vista. The foundation, a gift "to the people" from Aimé and Marguerite Maeght, also provides a showcase for new talent. Everywhere you look, you see 20th-century art: mosaics by Chagall and Braque, Miró ceramics in the "labyrinth," and Ubac and Braque stained glass in the chapel. Bonnard, Kandinsky, Léger, Matisse, Barbara Hepworth, and many other artists are well represented. On the property are a library, a cinema, and a cafeteria. In one showroom you can buy original lithographs by artists such as Chagall and Giacometti, and limited-edition prints.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010