CITY HALL PLAZA

Aix-en-Provence, France

Built between 1655 and 1678 under the design of architect Pierre Pavillon, the City Hall is fronted by a pebble-encrusted courtyard defined by a wrought-iron gateway. At the back, a double stairway leads to the Salle des Etats de Provences, the old regional assembly room where taxes were voted. Portraits and pictures of mythological characters are hung there. The 16th-century clock tower, with an open ironwork belfry, is in front. The tree-lined square, where  cafés set up tables right into the center  of the space, is a popular gathering place. Most of the year there are  flower markets in the square, with an ever-changing array of colors and activity. Paul Cèzanne, the famous French post-impressionist painter, was a native of the city. Undoubtedly, his exposure to the vibrant life of this city inspired his rich use of colors and his intimate relationship with the landscapes and light of Provence. The city has wonderful narrow streets with shops and restaurants. The portal under the clock tower in the sketch led to such a street.

As part of our 2008 Mediterranean cruise, we were on a guided tour of the city. When we arrived at City Hall Plaza, our leader announced that we  would have 30 minutes on our own to  shop and enjoy the ambience of the  square. Most of my sketches are more studied and can take hours to complete. But the time limit dictated the content and detail of the sketch. I had to capture the feel, not necessarily the detail. More light and sketchy than most of my work, I was pleased with the result. As with architectural work, sometimes an uncomfortable deadline produces results that with more time would have been missed.