Housed in a beautiful 19th-century private mansion and named after the artist Jules Chéret, who lived and worked on the French Riviera during his final years, the Beaux-Arts Museum in western Nice is one of the city’s best little secret. Its collection includes paintings by Monet and Dufy, sculptures by Rodin and Carpeaux, ceramic pieces by Pablo Picasso and since last October it also boasts an unique piece by Bronzino, Crucified Christ.
This newly restored masterpiece by the Florentine painter was long thought to have been lost. It was commissioned by Bartolomeo and Lucrezia Panciatichi who were brought to trial in 1551 for heresy, and represents an almost sculptural portrayal of a lifeless Christ on the Cross that is both resplendent and mysterious, with a Renaissance chapel in the background.
