Point of interest
Musée Matisse
in Nice, France
In the Cimiez district, devoted to Henri Matisse, who lived in Nice from 1917 and drew inspiration from the Riviera's light until his death in 1954.
Where it is
The museum stands in the genteel hillside district of Cimiez, in the Villa des Arènes on Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, beside the Roman ruins and olive groves.
Address: 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice
What it is
The Musée Matisse holds nearly 600 works and traces Matisse's whole career, from the 1890s to the late paper cut-outs (gouaches découpées). Paintings, drawings, sculptures and personal objects make it one of the most complete Matisse collections in the world, and its Cimiez setting pairs well with the nearby Roman arenas.
History
Henri Matisse lived in Nice for many years from 1917 and died there in 1954. The museum opened in 1963 in a 17th-century Genoese villa, and its collection draws largely on gifts from the artist and his heirs.