Believe it or not, even the world’s greatest artists once had homes, just like you and me. Okay, so some of their homes were a little nicer than ours. But since artists often find fame after their deaths, some are downright dreadful. Either way, many of the houses and buildings that artists once called home are now museums and seeing where and how an artist lived is a great way to find insight into their work.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Little is known about the life of the most masterful of the Old Masters, and Amsterdam’s Museum het Rembrandthuis yields little in the way of biography. What is known is that this was the artist’s home between 1639 and 1658, a period when he created hundreds of paintings. What the museum lacks in historical detail it makes up for in its collection of art. Though you won’t find any Rembrandt paintings, you will find a great collection of his sketches which has been painstakingly gathered by the museum over the years. There are paintings by some of the artists who influenced Rembrandt, like his teacher Pieter Lastman, as well as some works by Rembrandt’s own star student, Ferdinand Bol, all of which help put Rembrandt’s work in context. There is, however, some history on the way, as the cesspool in the courtyard is undergoing an extensive excavation, revealing many historical secrets of the house. To easily visit the museum, there are plenty of Amsterdam hotels in the area.
Vincent van Gogh
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France and Auvers-sur-Oise, France
The first house that comes to mind when you think of Van Gogh is the yellow house in Arles. Sadly, the yellow house there now is a reproduction, as the original was destroyed by fire during World War II. Luckily we still have several other Van Gogh residences still intact. In fact, Saint-Rémy’s 12th century Monastery Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, the sanitarium where Van Gogh had himself committed from May 1889 until May 1890, is minutes away from Arles. A tour of the place allows you to gaze out the window and see the fields where he painted “The Reaper” and the cypress trees where he painted “The Starry Night.” If you’d like to stay a little longer and check out the town’s Roman ruins, there are plenty of Saint-Rémy hotels. Forty-three kilometres north of Paris is Auvers, where, after finishing over 70 more paintings, including the masterpiece “Wheat Field with Crows,” Van Gogh took his own life. You can see the attic room where Vincent died at the Auberge Ravoux, and if you don’t want to make the trip back to Paris, you can stay at the Hôtel Château De Mery in nearby Méry-sur-Oise
Pablo Picasso
Málaga, Spain
Nine years before Van Gogh was busy dying, Picasso was busy being born in what is now known as the Casa Natal Picasso. Now home to a museum and to the headquarters of the Picasso Foundation, the 1861 building has been a historical monument since 1983. A monument to the life and work of Picasso, the Casa Natal Picasso displays artifacts from his early life, along with many works by the artist and his father, Jose Ruiz Blasco. There’s a library and Research Centre with lots of material on Picasso, as well as a treasure trove of his prints and ceramics and graphic art. The museum is also home to the work of over 200 contemporary artists, including Miró, Christo, Bacon, Ernst, Dokoupil, Guinovart and Moore. Contemporary Málaga are also well-represented. Evan with all of this art, the museum should not be confused with the Picasso Museum, which is located elsewhere in the city. If you’re looking for accommodation near the museum and close to the magnificent Málaga Cathedral, the Hotel del Pintor is just two blocks away.
Salvador Dalí
Cadaqués, Spain
Though Salvador Dalíspent much of his life traveling, the house now hosting the Casa Museu Salvador Dalí was his prime residence from 1930 until his wife’s death in 1982. This is where he lived and worked, and just a glance at the rocky Catalan landscape and blue Mediterranean waters attest to that, as they look like they come straight out of one of his paintings. Remaining as he left it in 1982, the house is more of an accurate reflection of the artist than many of the other artist homes, and you can still sense Dalí’s creative spirit throughout. The abstract painting on the door is not exactly Dalí’s. Legend has it that after local fishermen painted their boats, they were invited to clean their brushes on it. Seeing Dalí’s studio as he left it is a treat, as is the phallic-shaped swimming pool and his famous collection of mustaches. The charming fishing village of Cadaqués is also a treat, and instead of rushing back to Barcelona, you might consider a stay in one of its hotels.
Auguste Rodin
Paris, France
Originally the Hôtel Biron, the great sculptor used this grand Parisian building as his residence after 1908. It’s hard to imagine the Musée Rodin as anything but a museum, as its open spaces and oversized windows make it a natural for this purpose. But perhaps that’s why Rodin liked it. Most of his significant creations are here, including the Kiss, the Gates of Hell and of course, the Thinker. Many can be seen in the natural setting of the surrounding parkland, which is also where you’ll find a lake and a restaurant. Check out the room dedicated to his student Camille Claudel. Check out the Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh paintings which came from his personal collection. On a sad note; after Rodin donated the sculptures, paintings and house to the French government, he fell on hard times. With no place to live, he asked to be able to stay in a single room in his former house. He was refused, and he ended up freezing to death in the cold Paris winter while his sculptures stayed warm inside. The Hôtel du Palais Bourbon offers a nice warm room just a half block from the museum.
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Home is where the Art Is: Five Famous Artists whose homes you can visit.
Believe it or not, even the world’s greatest artists once had homes, just like you and me. Okay, so some of their homes were a little nicer than ours. But since artists often find fame after their deaths, some are downright dreadful. Either way, many of the houses and buildings that artists once called home are now museums and seeing where and how an artist lived is a great way to find insight into their work.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
http://www.rembrandthuis.nl/cms_pages/index_main.html
Little is known about the life of the most masterful of the Old Masters, and Amsterdam’s Museum het Rembrandthuis yields little in the way of biography. What is known is that this was the artist’s home between 1639 and 1658, a period when he created hundreds of paintings. What the museum lacks in historical detail it makes up for in its collection of art. Though you won’t find any Rembrandt paintings, you will find a great collection of his sketches which has been painstakingly gathered by the museum over the years. There are paintings by some of the artists who influenced Rembrandt, like his teacher Pieter Lastman, as well as some works by Rembrandt’s own star student, Ferdinand Bol, all of which help put Rembrandt’s work in context. There is, however, some history on the way, as the cesspool in the courtyard is undergoing an extensive excavation, revealing many historical secrets of the house. To easily visit the museum, there are plenty of Amsterdam hotels in the area.
http://www.eurobookings.com/netherlands-nl/reservations-amsterdam-hotels.html?form_type=remember&filter_offset=1&ac_sorting=0_desc&destination_id=-2140479&destination_type=1&destination_search=Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France and Auvers-sur-Oise, France
The first house that comes to mind when you think of Van Gogh is the yellow house in Arles. Sadly, the yellow house there now is a reproduction, as the original was destroyed by fire during World War II. Luckily we still have several other Van Gogh residences still intact. In fact, Saint-Rémy’s 12th century Monastery Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/saint-paul-mausole/van-gogh.htm
the sanitarium where Van Gogh had himself committed from May 1889 until May 1890, is minutes away from Arles.
A tour of the place allows you to gaze out the window and see the fields where he painted “The Reaper” and the cypress trees where he painted “The Starry Night.” If you’d like to stay a little longer and check out the town’s Roman ruins, there are plenty of Saint-Rémy hotels http://www.eurobookings.com/france-fr/reservations-saint-remy-de-provence-hotels.html?form_type=remember&filter_offset=1&ac_sorting=0_desc&destination_id=-1468251&destination_type=1&destination_search=Saint-R%C3%A9my-de-Provence
Forty-three kilometres north of Paris is Auvers, where, after finishing over 70 more paintings, including the masterpiece “Wheat Field with Crows,” Van Gogh took his own life. You can see the attic room where Vincent died at the Auberge Ravoux http://www.maisondevangogh.fr/, and if you don’t want to make the trip back to Paris, you can stay at the Hôtel Château De Mery in nearby Méry-sur-Oise http://www.eurobookings.com/mery-sur-oise-hotels-fr/hotel-chateau-de-mery.html
Pablo Picasso
Málaga, Spain
Nine years before Van Gogh was busy dying, Picasso was busy being born in what is now known as the Casa Natal Picasso http://www.andalucia.com/province/museums/casanatal.htm. Now home to a museum and to the headquarters of the Picasso Foundation, the 1861 building has been a historical monument since 1983. A monument to the life and work of Picasso, the Casa Natal Picasso displays artifacts from his early life, along with many works by the artist and his father, Jose Ruiz Blasco. There’s a library and Research Centre with lots of material on Picasso, as well as a treasure trove of his prints and ceramics and graphic art. The museum is also home to the work of over 200 contemporary artists, including Miró, Christo, Bacon, Ernst, Dokoupil, Guinovart and Moore. Contemporary Málaga are also well-represented. Evan with all of this art, the museum should not be confused with the Picasso Museum, which is located elsewhere in the city. If you’re looking for accommodation near the museum, the Hotel del Pintor http://www.eurobookings.com/malaga-hotels-es/hotel-del-pintor.html
Is just two blocks away.
Salvador Dalí
Cadaqués, Spain
Though Salvador Dalíspent much of his life traveling, the house now hosting the Casa Museu Salvador Dalí http://www.salvador-dali.org/museus/portlligat/en_index.html
was his prime residence from 1930 until his wife’s death in 1982. This is where he lived and worked, and just a glance at the rocky Catalan landscape and blue Mediterranean waters attest to that, as they look like they come straight out of one of his paintings. Remaining as he left it in 1982, the house is more of an accurate reflection of the artist than many of the other artist homes, and you can still sense Dalí’s creative spirit throughout. The abstract painting on the door is not exactly Dalí’s. Legend has it that after local fishermen painted their boats, they were invited to clean their brushes on it. Seeing Dalí’s studio as he left it is a treat, as is the phallic-shaped swimming pool and his famous collection of mustaches. The charming fishing village of Cadaqués is also a treat, and instead of rushing back to Barcelona, you might consider a stay in one of its hotels.
http://www.eurobookings.com/spain-es/reservations-cadaques-hotels.html?form_type=remember&filter_offset=1&ac_sorting=0_desc&destination_id=-374873&destination_type=1&destination_search=Cadaqu%C3%A9s
Auguste Rodin
Paris, France
http://www.musee-rodin.fr/welcome.htm
Originally the Hôtel Biron, the great sculptor used this grand Parisian building as his residence after 1908. It’s hard to imagine the Musée Rodin as anything but a museum, as its open spaces and oversized windows make it a natural for this purpose. But perhaps that’s why Rodin liked it. Most of his significant creations are here, including the Kiss, the Gates of Hell and of course, the Thinker. Many can be seen in the natural setting of the surrounding parkland, which is also where you’ll find a lake and a restaurant. Check out the room dedicated to his student Camille Claudel. Check out the Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh paintings which came from his personal collection. On a sad note; after Rodin donated the sculptures, paintings and house to the French government, he fell on hard times. With no place to live, he asked to be able to stay in a single room in his former house. He was refused, and he ended up freezing to death in the cold Paris winter while his sculptures stayed warm inside. The Hôtel du Palais Bourbon http://www.eurobookings.com/paris-hotels-fr/hotel-du-palais-bourbon.html offers a nice warm room just a half block from the museum.
