The Maeght Foundation: A Forest Museum Built to Heal After Tragedy
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
In Saint-Paul-de-Vence near Nice, the Maeght Foundation (La Fondation Maeght) is a private modern art museum created by Marguerite and Aimé Maeght after their youngest son, Bernard, died of leukemia at age 11. Inspired by friends like Georges Braque and supported by figures such as André Malraux, the Maeghts gathered works by 20th-century masters—Miró, Giacometti, Chagall, Calder, Bonnard and more—and commissioned Josep Lluís Sert to design a building that blends art, architecture and nature. Highlights include the sculpture garden, the Miró Labyrinth, the small Chapelle Saint-Bernard (dedicated to their son) with Braque’s stained glass, Giacometti’s courtyard sculptures, and large-scale works like Chagall’s La Vie. The writer praises the intimate atmosphere, the collection of some 13,000 pieces, and charming details such as a friendly café cat encountered on a hot visit.
