The sixth conference in this series will take place on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at 3:00 PM, at the Théâtre de la Photographie et de l’Image in Nice. Entitled “From the Alps to Italy, the Nice Stage of British Painters during the Ancien Régime and the Restoration,” it will be presented by Jean-Paul Potron, librarian at the historical heritage department of the city of Nice.
Not only did the English of the 18th century invent tourism, but they were also the main initiators of the trend for travel souvenirs. To escape the harsh winters of the British Isles and the pollution of their cities, as well as to enjoy the climate and Mediterranean landscapes, many English people traveled to Italy and Greece to visit the most famous sites, particularly the painters.
Although Nice was not one of the main stops on the picturesque tour, as they called this artistic journey, the city saw many painters, both amateurs and celebrities like Wright of Derby, Turner, and Ruskin. They created little-known drawings and watercolors there, all travel souvenirs they brought back to England, which this conference invites you to discover.
A trained librarian, Jean-Paul Potron works at the historical heritage department of the City of Nice. Editor-in-chief of the magazine Nice Historique, he is the author of numerous articles and books on Nice and the Alpes-Maritimes, mainly focusing on the representation of landscapes.
– Upcoming conferences on the theme “Nice, Capital of the French Riviera”:
● Saturday, April 21, 2012 ● 3:00 PM ●
“Dwellings and Parks of the Riviera”
by Didier Gayraud, author of regional books
● Saturday, May 5, 2012 ● 3:00 PM ●
“The British way of life during the Belle Époque on the Riviera”
by Isabelle Pintus, archivist in Cagnes-sur-mer
● Saturday, May 12, 2012 ● 3:00 PM ●
“An English ‘folly’ on the Mont Boron hill”
by Véronique Thuin, Doctor of History, Associate Professor at the university.
