St. Jeannet French Riviera

Augusta Payne Rathbone

The storied village of St. Jeannet is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department of southeast France, about 12.5 miles from Nice. It rests at the foot of the formidable Baou de St. Jeannet, with its secret caves and sheepfolds, and faces the Mediterranean coastline. Though its roots are traced to the medieval times, the majority of its structures and spring-fed fountains were constructed in the mid 17th century.

In the far right of the image Rathbone captures the 18th-century belltower of the Saint-Bernardin chapel, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The village, facing full south, is brightly lit against the cliff face. The Baou's shape once reminded villagers of a crouching animal, similar to a sphinx, and was rumored to house spirits in its many caves. This led to the belief, as well, that the village was full of witches - now purported to have been healers and midwives who were sought after by people throughout the region.

Rathbone, like Chagall, Matisse, Dufy, and many other artists before her, found inspiration in St. Jeannet, portraying it as a string of light across the bottom third of of the plate, a necklace of pearls and gems resting against the collar of the Baou.