The Architecture of a Provençal Residence
Located in Grasse, France, the Villa Fragonard is a structure that emerged in the late 17th century as one of the first residences built outside the city walls. This elegant bastide, once the home of Alexandre Maubert, a musician and man of the Enlightenment, offers a sense of quietude away from the urban center. The building itself carries the weight of history through its physical details, such as the grayish architectural decor found in the stairwell. This specific decoration, a grisaille referencing Antiquity, contains explicit Masonic and Revolutionary symbols and was executed by Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard.
The residence underwent significant restoration to preserve its integrity, including a new roof and window frames. It remains a place where the domestic history of a prominent family is etched into the very walls of the house.
The Presence of the Fragonard Lineage
The collection held within these walls is deeply tied to the lineage of the artists who once inhabited or frequented the space. The works are not merely objects but are connected to the personal history of the family. The presence of Jean-Honoré Fragonard is felt through several key pieces, including:
- The Oath of Love, 1780
- Landscape. The Washerwomen, 1768
- The Three Graces, 1769
Beyond the works of Jean-Honoré, the collection features the hand of Marguerite Gérard, his sister-in-law and disciple. Her paintings, such as The Song (1795) and The Drawing Lesson (1850), offer a view into the family's continued artistic output. Other works include Portrait of Madame Gérard, wife of Henri Gérard (1799) and Portrait of Henri Gérard, the artist's brother (1799). The collection also encompasses the work of Jean Baptiste Mallet, specifically Innocence and Fidelity bringing back Love (1810), and a portrait of a blond child by Marguerite Gérard from 1800.
A Legacy of Light and Line
The atmosphere of the villa is shaped by the intersection of art and the history of Grasse. The connection between the painters and the local culture is evident in the way the works interact with the space. While some of the most famous panels, such as the Progrès de l’amour dans le cœur d’une jeune fille series, reside in the Frick Collection in New York, the villa maintains its own identity through the presence of the family's art. The space allows for a close encounter with the creative process, particularly through the study of drawings and the specific way light falls upon the canvases within the renovated exhibition scenography.