When thinking of Saint-Tropez, one naturally imagines its harbour, beaches and Mediterranean way of life. Yet long before becoming a celebrated destination for international visitors, the village was already a remarkable centre of artistic creation.
This rich history is preserved at the Musée de l’Annonciade, housed within a former sixteenth-century chapel and now considered one of the finest museums of modern painting in the south of France.
A Chapel Transformed into a Museum
The museum occupies the former Notre-Dame de l’Annonciade Chapel, built in the sixteenth century for a religious brotherhood of penitents.
Deconsecrated at the beginning of the twentieth century, the building was given a new purpose thanks to the collector Georges Grammont, a passionate admirer of modern painting. In 1922, he donated an important collection of artworks to the town, creating a museum entirely dedicated to the artists who had found in Saint-Tropez an exceptional source of inspiration.
The history of the Musée de l’Annonciade is inseparable from that of Paul Signac.
Captivated by Saint-Tropez in 1892, the Neo-Impressionist painter settled there and quickly transformed the village into a true artistic laboratory. His studio became a meeting place where painters, writers and collectors gathered, exchanging ideas and exploring new approaches to painting.
Thanks to Signac, Saint-Tropez attracted some of the most important artists of his generation. Henri Matisse, André Derain, Albert Marquet, Henri-Edmond Cross, Henri Lebasque, Georges Braque and Raoul Dufy all came to work there, each offering their own interpretation of the unique Mediterranean light.
Albert Marquet (1875–1947)
Sète, the Beaucaire Canal
1924
Oil on canvas
Grammont Bequest, 1955
The museum’s collections bear witness to this extraordinary period of creative energy. They offer a remarkable overview of the major artistic movements that emerged between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, from Pointillism and Fauvism to Les Nabis and the first explorations of modern art.
Henri Lebasque (1865–1937), Port of Saint-Tropez. Circa 1906, oil on canvas. Gift of the artist to the Musée de l’Annonciade.
The cultural influence of Saint-Tropez extends far beyond painting. The village also inspired numerous writers, including Colette and Boris Vian, who were drawn to its unique atmosphere and gentle way of life.
From the 1950s onwards, cinema contributed to Saint-Tropez’s international reputation. The films of Roger Vadim, and above all the iconic image of Brigitte Bardot following And God Created Woman, transformed the town into a worldwide symbol of freedom, glamour and elegance.
This artistic vitality has never disappeared. Contemporary creators such as Niki de Saint Phalle, Fernando Botero, Milo Manara and Rafael Barrios have also contributed to the town’s cultural identity through exhibitions and monumental installations.
Today, the Musée de l’Annonciade is preparing to enter a new chapter in its history. An ambitious renovation and expansion project has been launched to modernise the exhibition spaces, improve conservation conditions for the artworks and offer visitors an enriched experience.
This transformation requires the temporary closure of the museum while the necessary works are carried out.
Once completed, the renovation will allow one of France’s most important collections dedicated to the birth of modern art to be presented in even greater depth, while reinforcing the museum’s role as a major cultural institution in Saint-Tropez.
When it reopens, the Musée de l’Annonciade will continue to embody what makes Saint-Tropez so unique: a place where the beauty of the landscape gave birth to some of the most remarkable chapters in the history of modern art.
Discover the works of Henri Lebasque presented at Galerie Rousset by clicking here.
Founder of Galerie Rousset — Avignon
A graduate of the IESA (Institut d’Études Supérieures des Arts), Ludovic Rousset worked in Parisian galleries on both the Right Bank and the Left Bank, then in the United States, handling works of great rarity. He has taken part in major international art fairs (Paris, Monaco, Brussels, London, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago) and collaborated with several European museums, including the Musée d’Orsay, on acquisitions and loans of artworks. In 2023 he founded Galerie Rousset in Avignon, dedicated to 19th and 20th century art.