Built in 1878 for a Ukrainian Princess, the Kotschoubey villa is a magnificent private mansion located on the Baumettes hill in Nice. In 1883, it was sold to James Thomson, a rich american.
Since 1928, it is a Fine Arts Museum and houses a collection of more than 6,000 art works dating from the 17th century till today.
As well as work by French artists (including sculptures by Carpeaux and Rodin), the fine-arts museum of Nice also boasts a fine collection of remarkably restored Flemish school paintings. Two exhibition spaces are entirely devoted to modern art, featuring Kees, Van Dongen, Raoul Dufy and Picasso. A particular note for the symbolist work of Gustav Adolf Mossa, an artist of Nice who was for many years curator of the museum.