Marseille, always Marseille

The light and tranquility of the Mediterranean reached its height in Marseille. Its streets, the port and its vibrant colors inspired the creativity and freedom of artists at the end of the 19^th and beginning of the 20^th century who were seeking to open new channels of artistic expression.

The great artists of the age left their city studios behind and, with the help of the recently opened train line between Paris and Marseille, chose to paint outdoors, bathed in the sun’s rays and surrounded by the light of a Mediterranean shoreline dotted with boats. Marseille shone brightly with all its strength for them, and by accentuating the contrast of shapes and silhouettes brought forth a new way of observing the world for the artists.

Marseille, in the same way as the whole region, became an exulted place of artistic innovation for the heirs of impressionism. It was venerated for its colors, its climate and its beauty. Painters not only sought to capture the Mediterranean light but also to start a new life by the sea, far from the big cities and away from the emerging and unstoppable industrialization.