You may be in possession of paper documents (leaflets, newspapers, etc.) or photographic materials (family photos, postcards, etc.) from the years 1939 to 1951 in Vence and its surroundings. We need your help.
As part of ongoing research on the painter Matisse following the publication of the book “Matisse in Nice and Vence, 1917-1954” published by Editions SERRE, the author is looking for documents illustrating the daily life of Vence residents during the war and post-war period, an era when Matisse and his artist friends lived in or frequently visited Vence. Among others: Andrรฉ Rouveyre, Gide, Picasso, Aragon, Chagall, Breton, Bonnard, Maeght, Prรฉvert, Miro, Henri Laurens, the art publisher Teriade, etc.
Key Research Areas
- Names and photos of the Vence workers and companies who participated in the construction of the Matisse Chapel.
- Any photo, even a simple family one, from the war period in Vence. Photos of the town and the surroundings, cars from that era, shops, floral or bitter orange tree cultivations, the “A la joie de vivre” hotel on rue des Poilus, cinemas, etc. Even trivial ones may contain interesting documents.
- Any document concerning Matisse’s Vence model Ginette Palomarรจs, or the families of the Pinta brothers with whom Matisse went to Coursegoules. Also, artists Annelies Nelck (Anatole) and Vincent de Crozals.
- Newspapers from that period with articles on Vence.
- Any document on people who interacted with Matisse (taxi drivers, shopkeepers, Crรฉdit Lyonnais where he had his account, etc.)
- Photos or documents on Italian and German soldiers.
- Advertising leaflets.
… non-exhaustive list …
