Picasso's villa goes under the hammer
Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie, where the artist died in 1973
Moving back from California to the south coast of France in 1961, Pablo Picasso settled in Mougins with his second wife, Jacqueline Roque.
The mas (Provencal farmhouse) Notre-Dame-de-Vie became their home and Picasso began to live a reclusive life in what was nicknamed the 'den of the Minotaur', surrounded by his work. Pablo Picasso died on 8 April 1973 in the house, while he and his wife Jacqueline entertained friends for dinner.
Jacqueline continued to live in the house until her death. It is said that she never fully recovered from losing Pablo, and was so devastated and lonely that she took her own life, by gunshot, in 1986.
With 800m2 of living space, the farmhouse comprises 35 rooms, including eight bedrooms and ten bathrooms. The property also has a two-hectare park, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a house for the caretaker and others outbuildings for guests.
Acquired and renovated by a Dutch businessman in 2008, the farmhouse has been officially on sale for over two years. French newspaper, Le Figaro, gives a starting price for this auction as 15 million euros. Given the historical value of this farmhouse, the former property of Pablo Picasso could well reach a record price.
The auction of the property was initially scheduled for 2nd February 2017, however, this has been postponed. A new date has not yet been specified.
