Cézanne

Paul Cézanne (January 19, 1839 – October 22, 1906) was a French painter whose work bridged late 19th-century French Impressionism and the early foundations of modern art. He is often regarded as a pivotal figure in the transition to Cubism and abstract painting, renowned for his innovative approach to form and color.

Born in Aix-en-Provence, Cézanne studied there before moving to Paris in 1861 to pursue painting, including time at the Académie Suisse. His early career overlapped with the ambitions of the Impressionists, but he remained independently steadfast, spending extended periods in the south where he produced a prolific body of landscapes and still lifes. His work faced criticism and uncertain reception during his lifetime, though it gained influence across generations.

Technique and themes: Cézanne sought to reconstruct nature through careful observation of form and structure. He broke with traditional perspective by modeling volume with interlocking planes of color and by using color to describe form rather than relying on shading alone. His repeated explorations of Mont Sainte-Victoire and common Provençal subjects, such as still lifes with apples and bowls, exemplify his method of organizing composition through geometric simplification and planes of color.

Legacy: Cézanne’s emphasis on solid form, spatial organization, and color laid the groundwork for 20th-century modernism and had a lasting impact on artists including Picasso and Braque. Notable works include The Card Players, The Bathers, and the Mont Sainte-Victoire series. He died in Aix-en-Provence in 1906, leaving a lasting influence on the development of modern painting.