Exhibition Guide

Space Description: Matisse in Vence: The Stations of the Cross is installed in a large exhibition space with white walls, high ceilings, and polished concrete flooring. The exhibition is delineated by temporary walls that divide the larger gallery into seven distinct, smaller spaces. The exhibition ends at the same doorway you entered through.

The first gallery you encounter is an introductory space with a large photograph of the Chapel of the Rosary’s rear wall, which features Henri Matisse’s The Stations of the Cross tile mural. As you wind through the next five galleries, moving clockwise, you encounter the artworks on the walls—Matisse’s preparatory sketches for the final ceramic mural—grouped by station on a linear path. Loosely defined sections corresponding to the 14 different Stations of the Cross are arranged in chronological order from 1 to 14. In some galleries, double-sided drawings are mounted on narrow walls accessible from both sides, allowing you to view the sketches from the front and back.

The seventh and final gallery offers interactive resources, including a drawing activity, animation, archival video, large photo blowup, and exit survey kiosk. Backless, leather-cushioned benches are available near the descriptions for Stations 1, 6, and 11, while the final gallery provides lightweight plastic chairs with backs at the drawing station.