‘I paint as I see, as I feel… They also feel and see like me, but they don’t dare… I dare’ Paul Cezanne, 1870
Paul Cezanne. The Basket of Apples, c. 1893. (Photographer: Paul Winstone/fabuk )
Paul Cezanne (1839-1906) is one of the most highly regarded and enigmatic artists of the late 19th century. By approaching painting as a process and investigation, where uncertainty plays an integral role, he gave this medium a new lease of life. Cezanne linked the formal process of art-making he called ‘realisation’ to his personal experiences, or ‘sensations His work has always strongly resonated with other artists, and this legacy continues into the present day.
Paul Cezanne Sugar Bowl, Pears and Blue Cup (1865–70) (Photographer: Paul Winstone/fabuk )
Paul Cézanne. Still Life with Fruit Dish. 1879-80 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 18 1/4 x 21 1/2″ (46.4 x 54.6 cm) (Photographer: Paul Winstone/fabuk )
Turn in the Road c.1881 Oil paint on canvas Previously owned by the artists Paul-Cesar Helleu (1859-1927) and Claude Monet (1840-1926) Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, bequest of John T. Spauking, 48525 X76708 (Photographer: Paul Winstone/fabuk )
The François Zola Dam Artist: CÉZANNE, Paul (1839-1906) (Photographer: Paul Winstone/fabuk )
Portrait of the Artist’s Son Paul Cezanne Date: 1885 Style: Post-Impressionism Period: Mature period Genre: portrait Media: oil, canvas Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
The Plate of Apples Artist: Paul Cézanne Dimensions: 46 cm x 55 cm Period: Post-Impressionism Created: 1877 Subject: Apple Medium: Oil Paint Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
Madame Cézanne in a Red Armchair Date created: about 1877 Physical Dimensions: w559 x h724 mm Type: Paintings Medium: Oil on canvas By: Paul Cézanne Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
Landscape. Road with Trees in Rocky Mountains Creator: Paul Cézanne Date created: 1870 – 1871 Medium: Oil Physical Dimensions: w65 x h53.7 cm (Complete) Type: Canvas Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
L’Estaque with Red Roofs Date: 1885 Style: Post-Impressionism Period: Mature period Genre: landscape Media: oil, canvas Location: Private Collection Dimensions: 65 x 81 cm Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
Still Life with Apples Creator: Paul Cézanne Date Created: 1893–1894 Physical Dimensions: 65.4 × 81.6 cm (25 3/4 × 32 1/8 in.) Type: Painting Medium: Oil on canvas Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
Still Life with a Ginger Jar and Eggplants Creator: Paul Cézanne Date Created: 1893–1894 Physical Dimensions: 28 1/2 x 36 in. (72.4 x 91.4 cm) Type: Painting Medium: Oil on canvas Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
Still Life with Apples and Peaches Creator: Paul Cézanne Date created: c. 1905 Object Credit: Gift of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Dimensions: overall: 81 x 100.5 cm (31 7/8 x 39 9/16 in.) framed: 108.9 x 128.3 cm (42 7/8 x 50 1/2 in.) Classification: Painting Photographer: (Paul Winstone/fabuk)
The exhibition opens with one of Cezanne’s early self-portraits. In his 30s, he depicted himself as a mature, self-assured and sophisticated modern man. He then spent the following 30 years wrestling with what it meant to be a modern painter. At the same time, he remained deeply sceptical about the world he lived in, from political unrest in France to a continually accelerating way of life. This study of the self is displayed alongside a still life of apples, Cezanne’s most celebrated subject, through which he investigates our relationship with the object world.
The first half of the exhibition looks at Cezanne in the context of his time, exploring his life, relationships and the creative circle that surrounded him. The second half presents groups of works that focus on particular themes, including his radical still lifes and studies of bathers. Some labels include the names of artists who owned the paintings. You can also look out for captions written by artists working today, responding to Cezanne’s influence.
