Paint
Few painters have remained insensitive to the light of the Var landscapes and the splendor of the Var coast. Pierre Foncin said it all in one sentence, which sums up this inescapable fascination: "The contrast is striking between the flame of the porphyry, the azure of the sea and the sky, and, on one side, the black profile of the Maures, while on the other, the silvery line of the Alps sparkles on the horizon.
The Var has thus inspired many painters and some are even world famous.
Claude-Joseph Vernet - 1714-1789 -, to honor a commission from Louis XIV, created a grandiose representation of the port and harbor of Toulon.
Vincent Courdouan - 1810-1893 - painted romantic landscapes, including The small roadstead of Toulon, which served as a model for several generations of painters, his disciples.
Raoul Dufy - 1877-1953 -, with The Three Sailors in Toulon, asserts his revolutionary conception of painting, where the color largely overflows the line of the drawing.
Vincent Van Gogh - 1853-1891 -, after a long stay in Arles, he travelled along the Var coast, which revealed to him a new form of light and intensity of color.
Kisling - 1891-1953 -, settled in Sanary, and who left us numerous landscapes of beaches that seem to go on until infinity.
André Derain - 1880-1954 -, after a resounding start with the Fauvists, evolved towards a return to a more classical vision of Mediterranean landscapes, a paroxysm of color under the harsh light of the South.
Today, Saint-Tropez is more than a simple pictorial movement, it is a real school whose leader was Paul Signac - 1869-1935 -, with his theory of pointillism according to which "the dotted brushstroke isolates the vibrations of light and restores an almost magical impression of life".
Sculpture
The Var has also inspired sculptors, here are some notable works that you can admire during your wanderings in the department:
Virgin of the Massacre (16th century) - Aups
Nestled in the facade of the former church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, this statue commemorates the massacre that took place during the Wars of Religion.
The Huguenots, who came from the Alpes de Haute-Provence department, massacred a part of the villagers in 1574.
The Atlantes (18th century) - Toulon
Signed Pierre Puget, these sculptures are located in the Carré du Port in Toulon. They support the balcony of a building, formerly the town hall, and represent the workers of the Port, both strong and tired. Pierre Puget is a famous sculptor from Marseille who was appointed by Colbert as director of the decorations of the port of Toulon.
Bust of Napoleon (19th century) - La Martre
On his way to Paris, NapoleonI stopped on March 3, 1815 at the Logis du Pin inn. The bust, erected by Jules Chaperon, commemorates his arrival.
The Statue of Liberty (20th century) - Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer
Located on the Place Portalis, it is an authentic replica of the Statue of Liberty in a scale model. It is also signed Bartholdi, as evidenced by the signature on the base. It was inaugurated in 1913 and offered to the municipality by a rich inhabitant of the city.
The lucane and the flambé (20th century)-Tourtour
These two sculptures of insects, installed in front of the town hall of Tourtour, are the work of Bernard Buffet, a famous expressionist painter who lived in Tourtour.
Arbre à Palabres (20th century) - Les Arcs sur Argens
This sculpture of more than 8 meters is impressive. It represents a crocodile with a turtle on its head. This sculpture by Yvon Le Bellec, who lived between Africa and France, is inspired by an African tale. Traditionally, the palaver tree is a popular gathering place where people exchange on life in society.
Faykod Museum - Aups
This open-air museum houses sculptures by Maria Faykod, integrated into a wooded park. About fifty works in white marble live in the place that you can discover during a walk. An open-air exhibition that is decidedly original, with works frozen in their momentum, as if ready to set themselves in motion... Each character tells its own story and the artist transcends the white marble in a very personal but totally fascinating style. A must-see and what exciting artistic works!
Art museums not to be missed
Carmignac-Porquerolles Foundation
Located in the middle of an exceptional national park, this superb museum is organized in two spaces: a Provençal farmhouse of 2,000 m² and a garden of 15 hectares. Visitors discover contemporary art from the Carmignac collection, temporary exhibitions, an open-air sculpture garden, where the works are scattered under the pine forest and scrubland, and a cultural program. The visit can be done barefoot to be more in tune with the elements! The museography is exceptional and truly successful.
House of Photography-Toulon
Installed in a former hammam, the House of Photography is a museum institution in the old center of Toulon and it will please all those who are interested in the world of photography. With a double vocation, it is on the one hand a springboard for regional artists, and on the other hand presents works which by their international scope influence the different currents of photography. This collection, rich of more than 400 works, has pieces of great quality, works of renowned photographers: Robert Doisneau, Walker Evans, Man Ray, Georges Rousse, Jean-Loup Sieff..
