Paul Cézanne, a French artist born in 1839, bridged and . His unique style emphasized structure and form, using and distinctive brushwork to create depth and volume in his paintings.
Cézanne's work profoundly influenced modern art, especially . His focus on underlying structure, flattened , and use of color to build form laid the groundwork for abstract art and inspired artists like Picasso and Braque.
Life and career of Paul Cézanne
Early years and influences
Paul Cézanne was born in 1839 in Aix-en-Provence, France to a wealthy banking family
Studied drawing and painting in his youth, but pursued law studies to appease his father
Moved to Paris in 1861 to pursue art, met Impressionist painters and
Pissarro became an important mentor, encouraged Cézanne to paint outdoors (en plein air)
Frequently rejected by the official Paris Salon, participated in first Impressionist exhibition in 1874
Impressionist period
In the 1870s, Cézanne's style showed the influence of Impressionism
Painted outdoors with Pissarro and experimented with short, loose brushstrokes
Used bright colors and depicted fleeting effects of light, atmosphere, and movement
Never fully embraced Impressionist approach, maintained an interest in solid forms and structure
Key works from this period include House of the Hanged Man (1873) and Portrait of Victor Chocquet (1877)
Mature style and technique
In the 1880s, Cézanne developed his distinctive mature style that moved beyond Impressionism
Focused on simplifying forms into basic shapes (cylinders, spheres, cones) and emphasizing their underlying structure
Evident in series of still lifes of apples, skulls, and table settings
Used short, parallel brushstrokes ("") that built up forms through color
Explored the same subjects repeatedly, especially near his home in Aix
Exhibited with Impressionists, but works were not well-received by critics or public
Final years in Aix-en-Provence
From the late 1880s until his death, Cézanne lived and worked primarily in his native Aix-en-Provence
Focused on a few key themes: still lifes, bathers, portraits, and views of Mont Sainte-Victoire
Painted the mountain over 60 times from different vantage points and in various lights/seasons
Worked slowly and methodically, often leaving works unfinished as he struggled to realize his vision
Exhibited rarely, but gained some recognition among younger artists and collectors
Died in 1906 after collapsing while painting outdoors, posthumous retrospective in Paris in 1907
Artistic style and technique
Unique brushwork and "constructive strokes"
Cézanne's mature work is characterized by distinctive parallel brushstrokes, sometimes called "constructive strokes"
Short, hatched strokes that build up forms and planes through color rather than outline or modeling
Brushstrokes follow the contours of objects and tilt in multiple directions to create a sense of dynamism and solidity
Thick impasto in some areas contrasts with thinly painted or blank canvas in others
Creates a sense of incompleteness or non finito that hints at the artist's process and perception
Brushwork became increasingly abstract in later works as Cézanne prioritized the painted surface over illusion
Emphasis on underlying structure vs fleeting impressions
Unlike Impressionists who focused on capturing fleeting effects of light and atmosphere, Cézanne sought to reveal the underlying structure and solidity of his subjects
Simplified natural forms into basic geometric shapes like cylinders, spheres, and cones
Used color to create volume and depth rather than tonal modeling or linear perspective
Interested in the "sensation" of nature but also the permanence of classical composition and form
Combined direct observation of his motif with a deliberate, analytical approach in the studio
Sought to unite surface and depth, perception and conception in what he called "a harmony parallel to nature"
Distinctive use of color and tonal gradations
Color played a central role in Cézanne's quest to create volume, depth and structure on a flat surface
Built up forms through modulated tones and hues rather than relying on outline or
Subtle tonal gradations create a sense of light and space without stark value contrasts
Often used complementary colors (red/green, blue/orange) to create visual vibration and intensity
But moderated complementaries with in-between tones for a more harmonious effect than some post-impressionists
Blues tend to recede while warm colors like ocher and sienna come forward to create spatial effects
Multiple tones of same hue (light blue to dark blue) also create volume and planes
Flattening of perspective and form
Cézanne's mature works tend to flatten conventional perspective and emphasize the painted surface
Traditional linear perspective is often disrupted or ambiguous, with multiple viewpoints shown at once
Vertical and horizontal planes seem to tilt towards the picture plane, compressing the illusion of depth
Size and scale relationships between objects can seem distorted or unnatural
In still lifes, for example, apples may appear larger than a nearby water jug or bottle
Figures are often outlined with dark contours that flatten them into almost abstract shapes
In the , figures are reduced to simplified volumes that echo the geometry of the landscape
Overall, a tension between flat surface and illusion of depth, 2D and 3D space
Geometrically-inspired compositions
Many of Cézanne's compositions are structured around basic geometric shapes and volumes
Cylinder, sphere, and cone were the "alphabet" of nature that he sought to translate into paint
In landscapes and still lifes, these underlying shapes create a sense of stability and order
Horizontal and vertical axes often dominate, creating grid-like structures
Houses, trees, and table edges become interlocking rectangles and planes
Mont Sainte-Victoire landscapes emphasize the pyramid-like shape of the mountain
Asymmetry and imbalance are also common, creating a sense of dynamism or tension
objects are often arranged in a seemingly haphazard way, tilting and shifting axes
Negative spaces (background) play an active role in the overall geometric structure and composition
Key works and series
Still lifes of apples, oranges and table settings
Cézanne painted over 200 still lifes, more than any other subject, throughout his career
Allowed him to experiment with composition, color, and form in a controlled studio setting
Apples and oranges were among his most common motifs, along with everyday objects like pitchers, bottles, and tablecloths
Used fruit to explore the geometry of spheres and cylinders and the subtle color variations on their surfaces
Table settings became increasingly complex and unstable in his later works
Multiple perspectives and tilted planes challenge traditional still life conventions and spatial logic
Examples include Still Life with Apples and Oranges (1899) and Still Life with Plaster Cupid (1895)
Mont Sainte-Victoire landscape paintings
The mountain Mont Sainte-Victoire near Cézanne's home in Aix was one of his most frequent landscape subjects
Painted it over 60 times from the 1880s until his death, from various distances and angles
Used the mountain's distinct triangular shape as a geometric anchor for the compositions
Surrounding houses, trees, and fields are organized into interlocking horizontal and vertical planes
Paintings capture the shifting light and colors on the mountain at different times of day and seasons
Tones range from cool, dark violets to intense oranges and pinks, with blues used to create depth
Examples include Mont Sainte-Victoire (1902-1904) and Mont Sainte-Victoire and the Viaduct of the Arc River Valley (1882-1885)
Bathers series and nude figures
The Bathers series was another enduring motif that Cézanne returned to over three decades
Depicts nude figures, mostly male, in outdoor settings arranged in frieze-like compositions
Figures are often outlined with dark contours and reduced to simplified geometric volumes
Appear to merge with the rhythmic patterns of the trees and landscape, creating an overall sense of harmony
Works reflect Cézanne's interest in the classical tradition of the nude but radically reimagine it
Figures are not idealized, anatomical details are distorted or flattened, conventional poses are avoided
Key works include The Large Bathers (1898-1905) and Three Bathers (1879-1882)
Portraits and card player scenes
Portraits make up a significant portion of Cézanne's oeuvre, depicting family members, friends, and local people in Aix
Painted his wife Hortense over 40 times, often with a severe or ambivalent expression
Also created 26 portraits of his gardener and odd-job man Vallier, whom he painted in the same pose over multiple sittings
Card player paintings depict local farmhands and laborers engaged in a game of cards
Arranged in frieze-like compositions with tilted perspective and flattened forms
Figures are silent and still, with no drama or anecdote, reflecting Cézanne's interest in the "timeless"
Examples include Man with a Pipe (1890-1892), Madame Cézanne in a Red Armchair (1877), and The Card Players (1890-1895)
Influence and legacy
Impact on Cubism and modernist abstraction
Cézanne's geometric simplification of forms and use of multiple perspectives had a profound impact on the development of Cubism
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque studied his work intensely and adopted his techniques of faceting and fragmentation
Considered Cézanne the "father of us all" and the bridge between Impressionism and their own work
Other avant-garde artists like Matisse, Derain, and Duchamp also drew inspiration from Cézanne's formal innovations
Disruption of linear perspective, use of color to create structure, and emphasis on the painted surface over illusion
Cézanne's work laid the groundwork for later developments in abstract art by moving away from traditional representation
Inspiration for Picasso, Braque and next generation
Cézanne's posthumous retrospective at the 1907 Salon d'Automne was a revelation for young artists like Picasso and Braque
Saw in his work a way to move beyond the limitations of Impressionism and naturalism
Began to experiment with geometric simplification, multiple viewpoints, and shallow pictorial space
Braque's early landscapes from 1908-1909 show clear influence of Cézanne's faceted brushwork and compressed depth
Picasso's proto-Cubist Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) radically transforms the figures into angular planes and geometric volumes
Spatial ambiguity and confrontational style of painting reflects Cézanne's challenge to Renaissance perspective
Both artists continued to study and collect Cézanne's work throughout their careers, considering him a touchstone
Role in bridging Impressionism to Post-Impressionism
Although he exhibited with the Impressionists, Cézanne's work differed in key ways that anticipated Post-Impressionism
Rejected the Impressionist focus on capturing a fleeting moment in favor of more timeless, structured compositions
Used color to create form and depth rather than to imitate the effects of light and atmosphere
Emphasized the materiality of paint and the flat surface of the canvas rather than illusionism
Younger artists like Gauguin and Van Gogh saw Cézanne as an alternative to the limitations of Impressionism
Inspired by his use of expressive color, simplified forms, and personal symbolism
Cézanne's paintings of peasant card players and bathers also reflected the Post-Impressionist interest in timeless, archetypal themes
Shift away from the modern city life and bourgeois leisure scenes favored by the Impressionists
Reputation and recognition after death
Although he was known to some collectors and younger artists during his lifetime, Cézanne did not achieve wide public recognition until after his death
1895 solo exhibition at Ambroise Vollard's gallery in Paris began to establish his reputation
Included in 1900 Centennial Exhibition and 1904 Salon d'Automne in Paris, but works were poorly hung and received little notice
1907 posthumous retrospective at Salon d'Automne was a major turning point in his critical fortunes
56 paintings were displayed, shocking and inspiring the next generation of avant-garde artists
Prices for his work rose steadily as collectors like Pellerin and Stein began acquiring paintings
By the 1920s, was hailed as one of the great Post-Impressionists and a pioneer of modern art
Now recognized as a pivotal figure in the transition from 19th century tradition to 20th century modernism
Paintings are among the world's most expensive, with Card Players selling for $250 million in 2011
Key Terms to Review (23)
Abstraction: Abstraction refers to the process of distilling complex forms, colors, and ideas into simplified or non-representational forms. In art, this means moving away from depicting objects realistically and instead focusing on elements like shape, color, and line to express emotions or concepts. This approach encourages viewers to interpret works in personal and unique ways, connecting deeply with the essence of the art beyond mere representation.
Bathers Series: The Bathers Series refers to a collection of paintings created by Paul Cézanne that depict groups of bathers in natural settings, showcasing his innovative approach to form, color, and composition. This series is significant in understanding Cézanne's transition from Impressionism to a more structured, post-Impressionist style, highlighting his unique interpretation of the human figure within the landscape.
Brushstroke: A brushstroke is the mark left by a brush on a surface, which reflects the artist's technique and emotional intent. In art movements like Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, brushstrokes are significant as they convey texture, movement, and the artist's individual style. The way an artist applies paint can impact how the viewer interprets a work, making brushstrokes a vital element in the understanding of these artistic periods.
Camille Pissarro: Camille Pissarro was a Danish-French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painter, known for his contributions to the development of both movements. He played a pivotal role in shaping the style of plein air painting, focusing on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere in his landscapes and urban scenes, while also utilizing complementary colors to enhance the vibrancy of his work.
Chiaroscuro: Chiaroscuro is a technique used in visual arts that employs strong contrasts between light and dark to create the illusion of volume and three-dimensionality. This method enhances the dramatic effect of a composition by guiding the viewer's eye and emphasizing specific elements, making it essential for artists aiming to capture realistic effects and emotional depth in their work.
Claude Monet: Claude Monet was a French painter and a leading figure in the Impressionist movement, known for his innovative approach to capturing light and atmosphere in his works. His emphasis on plein air painting and exploration of color and light transformed the art world and paved the way for future movements.
Color Theory: Color theory is a framework used to understand how colors interact, combine, and affect each other, forming the basis of artistic practices and visual communication. It encompasses principles such as color harmony, the color wheel, and the psychological effects of color, influencing artists' choices in various movements and styles.
Constructive strokes: Constructive strokes refer to a painting technique where brushstrokes are applied in a way that emphasizes the structure and form of the subject. This approach is characterized by a more analytical and systematic application of color and shape, creating a sense of volume and solidity. By using constructive strokes, artists can build their compositions with an underlying sense of order and coherence, which is especially prominent in the works of certain key figures.
Cubism: Cubism is an innovative art movement that emerged in the early 20th century, characterized by the use of geometric shapes and the fragmentation of objects into multiple viewpoints. This approach challenged traditional perspectives and encouraged artists to depict subjects in a more abstract, non-linear way, often leading to a sense of dynamism and movement. By breaking down forms and reassembling them, cubism had a profound influence on the development of modern art and later movements.
Geometric shapes: Geometric shapes are defined forms characterized by their clear and distinct boundaries, often based on mathematical concepts such as lines, angles, and curves. In the realm of art, they serve as foundational elements that can be used to construct compositions, convey structure, and evoke emotional responses. These shapes are essential in creating visual harmony and balance in artwork, particularly in movements that emphasize abstraction and simplification.
Impressionism: Impressionism is an art movement that originated in the late 19th century, characterized by a focus on capturing the fleeting effects of light and color in everyday life. This movement broke away from traditional academic painting by emphasizing spontaneity, visible brush strokes, and the depiction of modern life, often using plein air techniques.
Light effects: Light effects refer to the way light interacts with objects and surfaces, creating reflections, shadows, and variations in color and intensity. This phenomenon plays a critical role in visual perception and artistic representation, particularly in capturing the fleeting moments of natural light, which is a hallmark of certain painting styles. Artists often manipulate light effects to enhance mood, define space, and convey the passage of time, making it an essential aspect of visual storytelling.
Modernity: Modernity refers to the cultural, social, and artistic shifts that emerged during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by a break from traditional practices and an embrace of new ideas, forms, and experiences. This transformation is reflected in various art movements that sought to challenge conventions, capture the essence of contemporary life, and explore innovative techniques and philosophies.
Mont sainte-victoire: Mont Sainte-Victoire is a mountain located in the Provence region of France, famously depicted in numerous paintings by Paul Cézanne. It symbolizes a key element of Cézanne's approach to landscape painting, where he focused on geometric forms and the interplay of light and color to express the natural beauty of the landscape.
Perspective: Perspective refers to the technique used in art to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface. It involves the representation of objects in relation to their position and distance from the viewer, using methods like linear perspective, atmospheric perspective, and foreshortening. This concept is crucial in various artistic styles, as it helps convey spatial relationships and enhances the viewer's experience of the artwork.
Post-Impressionism: Post-Impressionism refers to the artistic movement that emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction against Impressionism, emphasizing personal expression and symbolic content. This movement expanded on the ideas of Impressionism while exploring new approaches to color, form, and emotional resonance, leading to diverse styles and philosophies in art.
Post-impressionist exhibition: The post-impressionist exhibition refers to a pivotal art show held in 1886 that showcased the works of several innovative artists who expanded on the ideas of Impressionism. This exhibition is significant because it highlighted a move towards more personal expression and abstraction, emphasizing the subjective experience of the artist over mere representation. It became a crucial platform for artists like Paul Cézanne, who would later influence modern art movements.
Salon des refusés: The salon des refusés was an exhibition held in Paris in 1863 to showcase artworks that had been rejected from the official Salon, the annual art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. This event became a pivotal moment for artists who challenged traditional artistic standards and conventions, allowing them to gain visibility and recognition.
Still Life: Still life is a genre of art that focuses on inanimate objects, often arranged in a composition to highlight their form, color, texture, and light. This genre allows artists to explore the beauty and complexity of everyday objects, often reflecting deeper meanings about life, mortality, and the passage of time. The still life has been an important way for artists to practice their skills in composition and color while inviting viewers to appreciate the subtleties of the mundane.
Structuralism: Structuralism is an intellectual movement that seeks to understand cultural phenomena by examining the underlying structures that shape them. It emphasizes the relationships and systems that govern human behavior, language, and thought, rather than focusing on individual elements in isolation. This approach can be seen in various fields, including literature, linguistics, and art, where it aims to uncover the rules and conventions that inform creation and interpretation.
The artist's vision: The artist's vision refers to the unique perspective and interpretation that an artist brings to their work, reflecting their personal feelings, ideas, and experiences. This vision shapes how they see the world and translates into their creative output, influencing their choice of subjects, styles, and techniques. It encapsulates the essence of an artist's intention, driving the emotional and intellectual engagement of their audience.
The basket of apples: The basket of apples is a significant still life painting by Paul Cézanne, created around 1893-1894. This artwork is notable for its innovative approach to form, color, and perspective, which reflects Cézanne's quest to depict the essence of objects rather than merely their appearance. The composition is characterized by the arrangement of various apples in a basket, showcasing Cézanne's mastery of color and brushstroke, which would influence later modern art movements.
The role of perception: The role of perception refers to the way in which an individual's personal experience and visual interpretation influence their understanding and appreciation of art. It emphasizes that art is not just about the physical representation of objects but also about how these objects are perceived and experienced by viewers. This concept is central to understanding the innovations brought forth by artists who prioritize personal vision and sensory experiences over traditional artistic conventions.