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The Setting, the Château, and the ProgramThe medieval village of Rochefort-en-Terre, located in the heart of the Breton countryside in Morbihan, has attracted artists since the middle of the 19th century. American painter Alfred Klots rebuilt the Château in the early 20th century on the grounds of a medieval fortress destroyed during the French Revolution and added a studio, gatehouse, and chapel. During World War I, the Château served as a recovery home for wounded American soldiers. In World War II, Nazis made the Château their regional headquarters. Alfred Klots' son Trafford, also a well-known painter, and his wife, Isabel Hulings of Baltimore, returned to Rochefort after World War II (as an officer in the U.S. armed forces, Trafford Klots had the privilege of liberating the town). During the ensuring decades, Trafford Klots continued his father's tradition of welcoming artists to Rochefort. Trafford's friends and colleagues visited often, painting the landscape and savoring the ambience of the village. In 1987, Madame Klots sold the Château to the regional government, which agreed to preserve its artistic legacy. Two years later, she established the Alfred & Trafford Klots Artist Residency Program to honor her late father-in-law and husband and their hospitality to artists. In 1995, the Maryland Institute College of Art entered into an agreement with Madame Klots to administer and promote the program to ensure its future. At that time, Madame Klots also established an endowment to help support the program. Christopher & Jane Shipley, Directors |
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