The Musee de l’ Annonciade in St Tropez on the French Riviera has gained a remarkable edition to its expanding collection.

A painting titled ‘La jeune femme assise sur les rivages d’Agay’ painted by the highly influential late 19th century and early 20^th century French artist, Louis Valtat, has been luring an influx of visitors into the museum.

The painting  is of a young and beautiful lady standing on the shores of Agay, a small fishing village not far from St Raphael, and is one of 20 produced by the artist in a series titled ‘Notations d’Agay 1899’.

After spending the winter in Agay in 1897, Louis Valtat became captivated by the Cote d’Azur and himself and his wife made regular visits to the area, cycling over the Esterel hills, where Valtat would be artistically inspired.

The Musee de l’Annonciade’s curator, Jean-Paul Monery wanted to buy the Valtat painting as a way of complimenting Agay and L’Esterel. The painting is the latest piece of artwork bought by the museum to reflect the region’s unique beauty and identity.

Musee de l’Annonciade is internationally renowned for housing some impressive art collections by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Raoul Dufy, Pierre Bonnard and Paul Signac.

In 2010, a painting by Dufy of St Tropez’s port titled, ‘Le port de St Tropez’, joined L’Annonciade’s collection, as well as a painting by Chambaud titled, ‘Les joueurs de boules’, and a piece by Henri Person, named ‘Pont de Pierre a Bordeaux’.

Since it opened in 1955, the museum helped to propel Saint Tropez into being a serious contender in the art world, attracting art-lovers from across the globe, and the museum regularly tops Provence’s list of being home to some of the most superb art collections in the region.

One of the museum’s most exclusive attractions is a piece by Charles Camoin, whose 1925 painting ‘St-Tropez, la Place des Lices et le Café des Arts, is one of the most famous images of St Tropez itself.

For more information on the Musee de l’Annonciade and its impressive collection of paintings, visit: www.saint-tropez.tv/html/annonciade

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