Chinese Version
Precedent PageIn the historic earth of St Remy de Provence, easy to find, in front of the Museum Estrine,
(second street after the town hall) in a lovely narrow street opening on the small place Blain,
there is a very old building,( 17e century) known from the natives as the “ Old House of Colors”
Why this name ? what is the story of the building ?
The owner Pierre Risch the well-known art painter, has bought the historic old building in St Remy de Provence
a long time ago and decided to settle there .He has nestled his studio, home and art gallery, the Gallery Pastel Passion® in the house,
after a worldwide work of solo exhibitions through galleries and Art Centers, Museums….
During the renovation Pierre Risch has discovered the story of the place partly in the historic papers of property, partly with the native ancient owner,
and a famous old inhabitant now past, M Marcel Bonnet (1922 – 2007) fascinated by the history of St Remy de Provence who told him his research on the place.
Pierre Risch is very glad to tell you the story he has collected :
“It seems that the building has always had been a house of labor, different works, the oldest known in 18e was the cutter of stones,
that’s why we have outside a beautiful Gargouille
and inside the vault gallery an old carved stone, located as a key of vault, with a head of Lion,
on the top of his head 2 wings
below a phylacter,
and beside the head 2 characters giving fruits and grapes,
this stone has possibly came from the old city of Glanum, because when we had rebuilt the vault we have found it was made with very old stones with the fish marks of romains' cutter of stone. The vault room was during a long time a stable with a small forge.
Since Napoleon , it seems that the house was a drugstore - hardware shop, transmitted through the same family since we bought it, and it is the most interesting who comes ....!!!! because during Van Gogh s' time in St Remy,( * )
It was known by the oldest natives of st Remy, that he used to come to buy his pigments , colours, papers, small things in our house!!!
(until recently the beginning of 20 e century painters used to buy their colors in the drugstores - hardware shop)
Maybe that's why we had a great feeling with this old house who knows...
A very old man now dead , M Bonnet a poet and historic writer, has told us that a man named Charloun ,who lived on the top of the house , where is my studio now, used to see Van Gogh , walk in the nature, and had a friendly relation with him.
R C ? it could be “Roumanille” Charloun …
That's all i have found but these are small details of an old life , it is emotional to lift a little the veil of the past
and to imagine the people before us ….”
Informations:
( * )Vincent Van Gogh the great painter spent one year of his life at the asylum and monastery Saint Paul de Mausole in the town, working hardly in his Art, where among others he painted the famous 'self portrait with bandaged ear'. Whilst living in Saint Remy de Provence Van Gogh painted more than 150 paintings including many of those for which he is most famous.
You can walk to the very same places painted by the artist and discover the mountain of St Rémy, fields of wheat and poppies , olive trees and cypruses - all just as it was more than a century ago. There is now a guided walk around the town where you can see the locations of 21 of Van Gogh's paintings, each point marked by a reproduction of the original painting. And 3 A Street Estrine, at the last plate, number 21, you can see the old house of colors.
We’ll invite you to enjoy your trip in Provence with an other eye, be really in the path of the great Vincent Van Gogh,
and discover in the same time the last stunning art creations of Pierre Risch, international designer, professional art painter, Maitre pastelliste
in the Old House of Colors, Gallery Pastel Passion ® - ST Remy de Provence – France.
(*) Pierre Risch : more information
(biography)
other pictures of the place ….
Report on Vincent Van Gogh's life in St Remy de Provence for the Spain TV, from Daniel Ferrer
and his team in the Old House of Colors Saint Remy de Provence with Pierre Risch
Snow in St Remy de Provence
(*) visit also www.francethisway.com choose- Provence and choose- st remy de provence
or try directly this address : http://www.francethisway.com/places/st-remy-de-provence.php
Copyright @ 2011 Lori Milhaud All Rights Reserved - pictures & texts
PIERRE RISCH - Copyright @ 2011 All Rights Reserved - paintings & pictures PASTEL PASSION ®
pierre-risch@pierre-risch.com
visit also: www.pierre-risch.com
visit also: www.pastel-passion.com