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.