France: In the Footsteps of the Great Artists

Imagine hurrying down the corridors of prerevolutionary Versailles in the company of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, the most sought-after portraitist of her day. Who will you meet as you drop in at her studio? The Duchess of Polignac, one of the great beauties of the Ancien Régime, or the ill-fated queen herself, Marie Antoinette? Or fast forward to the nineteenth century, to the sun-soaked landscapes of the Provence of Cézanne and Van Gogh, before speeding on to the French Riviera, where for six months Picasso made his home. Then dive into Jazz Age Paris, where Lois Mailou Jones and Archibald John Motley, Jr. are setting the city alight.

With twelve chapters, each devoted to an artist or group of artists, and accompanying itineraries, readers can immerse themselves in their world, wandering in and out of palaces, grand residences, and artist's studios to admire their work "in situ"--all from the comfort of an armchair. A bespoke illustrated map with hand-drawn vignettes brings to vivid life episodes from the artists' often turbulent lives, as well as key landmarks and local color. Wherever you roam, the Art of Travel series takes you into the heart of France's great cities, in the company of the artists who lived and worked there.

Set off on your own Grand Tour for the twenty-first century. The journey continues.

Nick Trend is an art historian and journalist. As chief culture editor for The Daily Telegraph travel desk, he has spent three decades writing about the world's art treasures and guides to numerous museums and art collections. He has also worked on the curatorial staff at the National Gallery, London, and is the author of two books in the Art of Travel series for Thames & Hudson: Italy: In the Footsteps of the Great Artists and France: In the Footsteps of the Great Artists. He is also the author of two books in the A Life in Pictures series: Vincent van Gogh and Artemisia Gentileschi.