Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Aaron Messiah

1905

Photograph of house surrounded by gardens and fountain and flanked by two tall palm trees, with mountains in background.

The neoclassical Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, designed for the Baroness Charlotte Béatrice de Rothschild, remains Aaron Messiah’s most famous work. Located in Cap Ferrat in southern France, the building, surrounded by gardens, has a loggia with a view of the sea on all sides, meant to resemble the bridge of a ship, a design reportedly inspired by the baroness’s fond memories of an ocean voyage.

Credits

Photo by Berthold Werner, June 10, 2011. Licensed under (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 7.

Engage with this Source

Creator Bio

Aaron Messiah

1858–1940

Born in Nice to a family in the textile business, Aaron Messiah began an architectural apprenticeship at the age of fourteen after his family suffered financial losses. In his twenties, he designed buildings for Protestant churches in Nice, going on to work for several powerful clients, including, notably, King Leopold II of Belgium. The neoclassical Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, designed for the Baroness Charlotte Béatrice de Rothschild, remains Messiah’s most famous work. Located in Cap Ferrat in southern France, the building, surrounded by gardens, has a loggia with a view of the sea on all sides, meant to resemble the bridge of a ship, a design reportedly inspired by the baroness’s fond memories of an ocean voyage.

You may also like