Provence: Art and Architecture

Provence carries the reader off on a fascinating journey from the ancient sites in Orange to the university town of Aix-en-Provence, from the metropolis of Marseille to the spectacular Gorges du Verdon. In each chapter of this book there is an overview of the area with a street map, many large color pictures, and texts that describe the history, geography, art, culture, and lifestyle of the area. The reader sees and experiences how Romanesque culture lives on through cloisters and churches and the Provencal landscape right up to the present day. The light and colors of the plants and wildlife blend into a unique panorama which inspired the special color compositions of the late Impressionists Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh. The book is organized by region and includes an appendix with indices of persons and towns, rounded off with a user-friendly glossary. Highlights include Mont Ventoux, around Provence; Arles, Roman city and van Gogh’s refuge; The Camargue, salt, rice, horses, and bulls; Aix-en-Provence, city and hills, home to the painter Cézanne; Côte d’Azur, red cliffs and blue sea; St-Maximin-la-Ste-Baume, jewels of the late middle ages; and Durance-Valley, exquisite nature.

Rolf Toman has worked as an independent art publisher for various international publishing houses for several decades. He authored and edited many acclaimed publications on art history and spirituality.