It is not often that we can look into the home of a famous artist, but recently Pablo Picasso's French Riviera estate was sold to New Zealand financier Rayo Withanage for €20.10 million (US$24 million) - allowing us a "peek" inside.
The Spanish artist lived and worked in the traditional Provencal bastide in Mougins, close to Cannes, from 1961 until his death in 1973 at the age of 91, according to auction materials. Picasso gradually extended the property—known as Mas de Notre Dame de Vie—over the years and added a large studio. Following his death, his wife, Jacqueline Roque, remained in the house until her death in 1986. She had left everything in the house as it was, even his reading glasses were where Picasso had left them, said the listing.
The home’s most recent owners embarked on a sizable restoration and the main house now spans over 13,000 square feet and sits on eight acres of land. It has a tennis court, a swimming pool, a pool house, a gym, a spa, a guest house, a caretakers cottage and the gardens were reportedly restored to Picasso’s original design.
