Paul Cezanne

January 19th marked the 172nd birthday of the Post-Impressionist Paul Cezanne (19 January 1839-22 October 1906). Cezanne was the transitional figure that laid the foundation for the Modernist of the 20th century. Modernist like Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse looked towards Cezanne to bridge the gap between themselves and the Impressionist.

In his painting Still Life with Cherries and Peaches (1885-87) we see the beginnings of Cubism. In fact, Matisse and Picasso saw Cezanne as the "father of us all". As the Impressionist looked to capture a singular moment in time, Cezanne looked to capture multiple moments in time. The art of Cezanne becomes linear, angular, and simplified. The cherries are seen from a much higher view that almost directly looks down upon the dish, while the peaches are seen from a much lower angle.

In 1852, Cezanne met the French writer Emile Zola at the College Bourbon. Zola encouraged Cezanne to move to Paris and in 1861 left Aix-en-Provence. While in Paris, Cezanne became friends with the Impressionist Camille Pissaro. Between 1865 and 1885, Pissaro and Cezanne would develop a strong relationships in their painting excursions at Pontoise and Louveciennes.












The painting on the right is by the elder Pissaro while the painting on the left is by Cezanne. For an interactive experience of both their works visit the MOMA website.