French Riviera and Its Artists

In 1956 Picasso turned down Bridget Bardot’s offer to pose for him with a curt “I only have one model at a time.” — In 21 vivid chapters filled with little known facts and anecdotes, author John Baxter weaves fascinating true stories about the iconic figures indelibly linked to the South of France—artist Henri Matisse, who lived in Nice for much of his life; F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose Riviera hosts inspired his controversial Tender is the Night; Coco Chanel, who made the Saint-Tropez tan an international fashion statement; Isadora Duncan’s tragic death in a car accident in Nice; and many more. You will also learn about many well known masterpieces that were inspired by the French Riviera–and will never look at them the same way again.

French Riviera and Its Artists is an enjoyable lively read that will appeal to travelers, Francophiles, and culture lovers alike, with:

• Featured historic figures including Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, D.H. Lawrence, Coco Chanel, Isadora Duncan, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, W. Somerset Maugham, Rex Ingram, Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Brigitte Bardot, Graham Greene, Grace Kelly and more
• Illustrations including vintage postcards, posters and photos of the French Riviera
• Color maps
• An art gallery of paintings created on the Côte d’Azur
• Helpful guides including a timeline, list of sites, and an index