Vence Places of Worship & Religious Sites

Chapelle du Rosaire was created by Henri Matisse for the Domincan nuns of Monteils. Matisse partially intended the Chapelle to be a gesture of his thanks to one of the sisters of the order, who nursed him back to health following his bout with a debilatating illness. His intent was to design and decorate a 'culmination of a whole life dedicated to the search for truth.' He put forth this concept with numerous simply rendered leaf forms as well as abstract patterns. He used such colours as lemon yellow, sapphire blue, and aquamarine to accentuate his artwork, and he depicted Saint Dominic in just a few lines. Also here is the 'Stations of the Cross', a black and white tiled piece with Matisse's self-styled 'tormented and passionate' figures. Matisse's work was completed in the late spring of 1951, and at that time the Bishop of Nice came to bless the chapel. Three years later, Matisse died. Today, visitors can see these works and more. L'Espace Matisse is a gallery showcasing how Matisse delt with the design of the chapel during it's construction. It also houses lithographs and some religious articfacts that were important to him. The admission price provides access to both this gallery and the Chapelle itself.