The Artist's Retreat (104)Step inside the retreats of artists who have left an indelible imprint on our world. Tour the bastide of the Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, located in the south of France. Glimpse inside the artist's studio, which was left untouched, including paintbrushes still in jars and half-finished paintings. The house, which provided artistic inspiration, was where Renoir was happiest, and where he lived the final years of his life.
Visit the Japanese home of the visionary sculptor Isamu Noguchi, known for his magnificent works of art and dramatic electrified paper lanterns. Born to an American mother and Japanese father, the artist's struggle between eastern and western sensibilities inspired his work throughout his life. Take a tour of the traditional Japanese-style home, studio and sculpture yard, complete with shoju screens, tatami mats and minimalist furnishings.
Our next stop is the vacation retreat of the playwright Noel Coward on the island of Jamaica. Coward settled here in the 1950s, naming the estate "Firefly Hill" because of all the lightning bugs on the property. View the breathtaking cliff-side property where the playwright entertained celebrities and royals, which has been preserved exactly as he left it.
Finally, travel to the island of Martha's Vineyard to visit the cartoonist Marc Brown, creator of the beloved children's character Arthur the aardvark. Tour the 18th century house that Brown and his wife rescued and turned into a wonderful country retreat for their growing family.
Renoir Home Facts:
- Pierre August Renoir was born in 1841 and died in 1919.
- Renoir's house has been a museum since 1960.
- Les Collettes houses 140 olive trees—some reputed to be 1,000 years old.
- Renoir suffered from rheumatism and was confined to a wheelchair later in his life. He painted and sculpted until the end of his life, directing assistants to act as his hands.
- The celebrated film director Jean Renoir was the artist's son.
- Renoir's artistic friends included Emile Zola, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley.
Contact Information:
Les Collettes
Nathalie Rolland, Curator
19 Chemin des Collettes
Cagnes-Sur-Mer, France
011-33-4-93-20-61-07
Resources:
Renoir, My Father
by Jean Renoir, Randolph Weaver (Translator), Dorothy Weaver (Translator), Robert L. Herbert (Introduction)
Renoir
by Gotz Adriani, Auguste Renoir, Kunsthalle Tubigen
Auguste Renoir Gallery
A virtual tour of Renoir's life and works
www.renoir.org
Louvre
33-01-40-20-50-50
info@louvre.fr
www.louvre.fr
Noguchi Home Facts:
- Isamu Noguchi was born in 1904 and died in 1988.
- The artist was born in Los Angeles, but grew up in Tokyo, Chigasaki and Yokohama before being sent back to America for schooling at age thirteen.
- In 1986, Noguchi received the Kyoto Prize from the Inamori Foundation, and in 1988 he was awarded the Third Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Japanese government.
- Noguchi's house is 2,000 square feet, including an upstairs sleeping loft. He lived in there alone.
Contact Information:
Isamu Noguchi Foundation
Ryu Niimi, Curatorial Advisor
3519 Mure, Mure-cho
Kita-gun, Kagawa
761-0121, Japan
011-81-87-845-1757
www.noguchi.org
Foundation's New York Office:
32-37 Vernon Blvd.,
Long Island City, New York, 11106
718-545-8842
Resources:
Isamu Noguchi (Modern Masters, Volume 16)
by Bruce Altshuler
Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
718-204-7088
www.noguchi.org
Jamaican Firefly Facts:
- Sir Noel Coward was born in 1899 and died in 1973.
- Some of Coward's plays include Hay Fever, Design for Living and Present Laughter.
- Coward died at Firefly and was buried on his favorite spot there.
- It is now a museum open to the public.
Contact Information:
Firefly
Ann Hodges, curator
Grants Pen
St. Mary, Jamaica
876-997-7201
Resources:
Noel Coward: A Biography
by Philip Hoare
National Heritage Trust
jnht@wtjam.net
www.jnht.com
Fire Fly
A virtual tour of Jamaica.
www.islandjamaica.com
