Rita Crane Photography: Muse, Villa Ephrussie, St. Jean Cap-Ferrat, France
When I saw this sculpture, I knew she would become part of my Muse Series. You can see other muses in my France set, and more shall be posted in the next few days. [Quand j'ai vu cette sculpture je savais qu'elle ferait partie de ma serie de Muses. Vous pouvez voir mes autres photos de muses dans ma serie de photos de la belle France. Il y en aura bientot d'avantage. En attendant voila un peu d'histoire au sujet de ce jolie endroit sur la Cote d'Azur.]
This was taken at the Ephrussie de Rothschild Villa on a beautiful peninsula that juts out near Beaulieu, along the French Riviera. The blue in the background is the Mediterranean with its dramatic coastline along the Alpes Maritimes, where the foothills of the alps plunge into the sea, similar to the California coastlines of Big Sur or Mendocino. No wonder visitors have loved this wild and rugged coast since it became part of France in the 1860's and was opened up to tourism when a railroad was built along its shores.
The villa is AMAZING and I wouldn't hesitate recommending a visit. Offseason it is quiet, and one can wander in the acres of gardens at ones leisure. Beatrice Ephrussie de Rothschild designed the home and her gardens: it is so clearly feminine and glows with soft touches everywhere. She was also a collector of all kinds of art that one can see in the villa. Outside, the formal part of the gardens were built to replicate the experience of being on an ocean cruise ship - with water visible on both sides of the 'top deck'.
However, there are other areas of the property that are much more organic and wild: a Mediterranean garden, for example, where this "Terracotta Muse" quietly watches succulents, herbs, and cacti from her pagoda next to an ancient olive tree that overlooks the blue Mediterranean.
Here's an excerpt of ancient - and modern - history of this lovely spot, as explained in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
"Known to the ancient Greeks as Anao, the site of present day Cap-Ferrat was first settled by Celto-ligurian tribes, then by the Lombards at the end of the 6th Century. Sant'Ospizio (or Saint Hospice), a hermit friar, is said to have inhabited a tower on the Eastern part of the peninsula. In the 8th Century, the Saracens occupy the site and use it as a base for pirating until the 11th Century..................see the link for the rest....
In 1905 Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild also chooses Cap-Ferrat to build an opulent and exquisite Tuscan style palazzo, now known as Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild museum."
Nowadays, for a small fortune, you can even have your wedding here, if you like!
Rita Crane Photography: Muse, Villa Ephrussie, St. Jean Cap-Ferrat, France
When I saw this sculpture, I knew she would become part of my Muse Series. You can see other muses in my France set, and more shall be posted in the next few days. [Quand j'ai vu cette sculpture je savais qu'elle ferait partie de ma serie de Muses. Vous pouvez voir mes autres photos de muses dans ma serie de photos de la belle France. Il y en aura bientot d'avantage. En attendant voila un peu d'histoire au sujet de ce jolie endroit sur la Cote d'Azur.]
This was taken at the Ephrussie de Rothschild Villa on a beautiful peninsula that juts out near Beaulieu, along the French Riviera. The blue in the background is the Mediterranean with its dramatic coastline along the Alpes Maritimes, where the foothills of the alps plunge into the sea, similar to the California coastlines of Big Sur or Mendocino. No wonder visitors have loved this wild and rugged coast since it became part of France in the 1860's and was opened up to tourism when a railroad was built along its shores.
The villa is AMAZING and I wouldn't hesitate recommending a visit. Offseason it is quiet, and one can wander in the acres of gardens at ones leisure. Beatrice Ephrussie de Rothschild designed the home and her gardens: it is so clearly feminine and glows with soft touches everywhere. She was also a collector of all kinds of art that one can see in the villa. Outside, the formal part of the gardens were built to replicate the experience of being on an ocean cruise ship - with water visible on both sides of the 'top deck'.
However, there are other areas of the property that are much more organic and wild: a Mediterranean garden, for example, where this "Terracotta Muse" quietly watches succulents, herbs, and cacti from her pagoda next to an ancient olive tree that overlooks the blue Mediterranean.
Here's an excerpt of ancient - and modern - history of this lovely spot, as explained in Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
"Known to the ancient Greeks as Anao, the site of present day Cap-Ferrat was first settled by Celto-ligurian tribes, then by the Lombards at the end of the 6th Century. Sant'Ospizio (or Saint Hospice), a hermit friar, is said to have inhabited a tower on the Eastern part of the peninsula. In the 8th Century, the Saracens occupy the site and use it as a base for pirating until the 11th Century..................see the link for the rest....
In 1905 Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild also chooses Cap-Ferrat to build an opulent and exquisite Tuscan style palazzo, now known as Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild museum."
Nowadays, for a small fortune, you can even have your wedding here, if you like!