The year 2026 marks the centennial of the death of Alexis Mossa (†1926), a prominent figure in Nice’s artistic scene of the late 19th century. A painter, city councilman, interior designer, creator of Carnival floats, and the first curator of the Nice Museum of Fine Arts, he left a lasting mark on the city’s history. Yet, paradoxically, his life and work remain largely unknown.
In order to conduct in-depth research, the Nice Museum of Fine Arts has chosen to divide the study of this painter into two phases. This exhibition is thus structured around the artist’s penchant for storytelling and narrative—a legacy of his training as a history painter—and presents a selection of paintings and archival materials that are representative of the multifaceted nature of his work. It serves as a prelude to a major retrospective, which will open in the spring of 2027 and shed light on his entire career.
