Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
Encyclopedia
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is a French
seaside palazzo
constructed between 1905 and 1912 at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
on the French Riviera
by Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild
(1864–1934) in the Goût Rothschild
. It was designed by the Belgian
architect Aaron Messiah
. A member of the prominent Rothschild banking family and the wife of the wealthy Russian-Jewish banker Baron de Ephrussi, Béatrice de Rothschild built her rose-colored villa on a promontory on the isthmus of Cap Ferrat
overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
. The Baroness filled the mansion with antique furniture
, Old Master
paintings, sculpture
s, objets d'art, and assembled an extensive collection of rare porcelain
. The gardens are classified by the French Ministry of Culture as one of the Notable Gardens of France
.
On her death in 1934, the Baroness charitably gifted the property and its collections to the Académie des Beaux Arts division of the Institut de France
and it is now open to public visitation.
, exotic, a stone garden, a Japanese garden
, a rose garden and a garden de Sèvres. They were created between 1905 and 1912 under the direction of landscape architect Achille Duchêne
.
The garden was conceived in the form of a ship, to be viewed from the loggia of the house, which was like the bridge of a vessel, with the sea visible on all sides. It was inspired by voyage she made on the liner Île de France, and the villa was given that name. The thirty gardeners who maintained the garden were dressed as sailors, with berets with red pom poms..
The Garden à la française is the largest garden, and occupies the area behind the villa. Next to the villa is a terrace with a formal French garden and topiaries. Beyond the terrace is a park with palm trees and a long basin, ornamented with fountains, statues, and basins with water lilies and other aquatic plants. On the far end of the park is a hill covered with cypress trees, surrounding a replica garden of the temple of Love at the Grand Trianon
palace. The slope below temple has a cascade of water in the form of a stairway, which feeds into the large basin.
A stairway from the French garden descends to the circle of gardens on the lower level. The Spanish garden features a shaded courtyard and fountain, with aromatic plants, Catalan
amphorae, and a gallo-roman bench. The Florentine garden, facing the rade of Villefranche, has a grand stairway, an artificial grotto, and an ephebe of marble. Beyond the Florentine garden is the lapidary, or stone garden, with an assortment of gargoyles, columns, and other architectural elements from ancient and medieval buildings. the Japanese garden has a wooden pavilion, a bridge, and lanterns. The exotic garden features giant cactus and other rare plants. A rose garden with a statue surrounded by columns adjoins it, with pink, the favorite color of the owner, the predominant color. On the east side of the villa is a garden of native plants of Provence
and a garden with decorations of sevres porcelain.
The villa was registered as a historical monument in 1996.
The villa is now the location of the annual summer opera festival, Opera Azuriales
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
seaside palazzo
Palazzo
Palazzo, an Italian word meaning a large building , may refer to:-Buildings:*Palazzo, an Italian type of building**Palazzo style architecture, imitative of Italian palazzi...
constructed between 1905 and 1912 at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat , Italian: San Giovanni Capo Ferrato, is a commune of the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It is located on a peninsula next to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and to Villefranche-sur-Mer and extends out to Cap Ferrat...
on the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
by Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild
Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild
Charlotte Béatrice de Rothschild was a French socialite, art collector, and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France.- Biography :...
(1864–1934) in the Goût Rothschild
Goût Rothschild
Le Goût Rothschild, , describes a style of glamorous interior decoration and living which has its origin in France, Britain and Germany in the 19th century. It was the time when the fame, wealth and power of the Rothschild Dynasty was at its height...
. It was designed by the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
architect Aaron Messiah
Aaron Messiah
Aaron Messiah was an early 20th century European architect. Messiah was court architect to Léopold II of Belgium, but his most famous work was the Villa Ephrussi, completed in 1912...
. A member of the prominent Rothschild banking family and the wife of the wealthy Russian-Jewish banker Baron de Ephrussi, Béatrice de Rothschild built her rose-colored villa on a promontory on the isthmus of Cap Ferrat
Cap Ferrat
Cap Ferrat is situated in Alpes-Maritimes département, in southeastern France. It is located in the commune of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.Saint Hospitius lived here as a recluse during the sixth century...
overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The Baroness filled the mansion with antique furniture
Antique furniture
Antique furniture is the term for collectible interior furnishings of considerable age. Often its age, rarity, condition, utility, or other unique features makes a piece of furniture desirable as a collectors' item, and thus termed an "antique"....
, Old Master
Old Master
"Old Master" is a term for a European painter of skill who worked before about 1800, or a painting by such an artist. An "old master print" is an original print made by an artist in the same period...
paintings, sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s, objets d'art, and assembled an extensive collection of rare porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
. The gardens are classified by the French Ministry of Culture as one of the Notable Gardens of France
Notable gardens of France
The Remarkable Gardens of France is intended to be a list and description, by region, of the over two hundred gardens classified as "Jardins remarquables" by the French Ministry of Culture and the Comité des Parcs et Jardins de France...
.
On her death in 1934, the Baroness charitably gifted the property and its collections to the Académie des Beaux Arts division of the Institut de France
Institut de France
The Institut de France is a French learned society, grouping five académies, the most famous of which is the Académie française.The institute, located in Paris, manages approximately 1,000 foundations, as well as museums and chateaux open for visit. It also awards prizes and subsidies, which...
and it is now open to public visitation.
The Gardens
The villa is surrounded by nine gardens, each on a different theme: Florentine, Spanish, Garden à la françaiseGarden à la française
The French formal garden, also called jardin à la française, is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order over nature. It reached its apogee in the 17th century with the creation of the Gardens of Versailles, designed for Louis XIV by the landscape architect André Le...
, exotic, a stone garden, a Japanese garden
Japanese garden
, that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles....
, a rose garden and a garden de Sèvres. They were created between 1905 and 1912 under the direction of landscape architect Achille Duchêne
Achille Duchêne
Achille Duchêne was a French garden designer who worked in the grand manner established by André Le Nôtre. The son of the landscaper...
.
The garden was conceived in the form of a ship, to be viewed from the loggia of the house, which was like the bridge of a vessel, with the sea visible on all sides. It was inspired by voyage she made on the liner Île de France, and the villa was given that name. The thirty gardeners who maintained the garden were dressed as sailors, with berets with red pom poms..
The Garden à la française is the largest garden, and occupies the area behind the villa. Next to the villa is a terrace with a formal French garden and topiaries. Beyond the terrace is a park with palm trees and a long basin, ornamented with fountains, statues, and basins with water lilies and other aquatic plants. On the far end of the park is a hill covered with cypress trees, surrounding a replica garden of the temple of Love at the Grand Trianon
Grand Trianon
The Grand Trianon was built in the northwestern part of the Domain of Versailles at the request of Louis XIV, as a retreat for the King and his maîtresse en titre of the time, the marquise de Montespan, and as a place where the King and invited guests could take light meals away from the strict...
palace. The slope below temple has a cascade of water in the form of a stairway, which feeds into the large basin.
A stairway from the French garden descends to the circle of gardens on the lower level. The Spanish garden features a shaded courtyard and fountain, with aromatic plants, Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
amphorae, and a gallo-roman bench. The Florentine garden, facing the rade of Villefranche, has a grand stairway, an artificial grotto, and an ephebe of marble. Beyond the Florentine garden is the lapidary, or stone garden, with an assortment of gargoyles, columns, and other architectural elements from ancient and medieval buildings. the Japanese garden has a wooden pavilion, a bridge, and lanterns. The exotic garden features giant cactus and other rare plants. A rose garden with a statue surrounded by columns adjoins it, with pink, the favorite color of the owner, the predominant color. On the east side of the villa is a garden of native plants of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
and a garden with decorations of sevres porcelain.
The villa was registered as a historical monument in 1996.
The villa is now the location of the annual summer opera festival, Opera Azuriales
Opera Azuriales
The Opéra Les Azuriales , founded in 1997 by Sarah Holford, the Festival's President, and others from the local community. It takes place each year in August on Cap Ferrat, a part of the Côte d'Azur in France....
.