Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was born on the 19th of January 1839 at 28 rue de l'Opéra in Aix-en-Provence. His father Louis-Auguste Cézanne co-founded a banking firm called Banque Cézanne et Cabassol that prospered throughout the artist's life. This financial security was unavailable to most of his contemporaries and eventually resulted in a large inheritance for Paul. The family came from the commune of Saint-Sauveur in the Hautes-Alpes region. On the 22nd of February, he was baptized in the Église de la Madeleine with his grandmother and uncle Louis as godparents. He became a devout Catholic later in life.
His mother Anne-Elisabeth-Honorine Aubert was described as vivacious and romantic but quick to take offence. It was from her that Cézanne got his conception and vision of life. He had two younger sisters named Marie and Rose who went to primary school with him every day. At age ten, Cézanne entered the Saint Joseph school in Aix where classmates included future sculptor Philippe Solari and Henri Gasquet. In 1852, he began attending Collège Bourbon where he became friends with Émile Zola and Baptistin Baille. These three friends were known as Les Trois Inséparables or The Three Inseparables.
The friendship lasted through their school years when they swam and fished on the banks of the Arc river. They debated art, read Homer and Virgil, and practiced writing poems together. Cézanne often wrote verses in Latin while Zola urged him to take poetry more seriously. He stayed there for six years though in the last two years he was a day scholar. In 1857, he began attending the Free Municipal School of Drawing under Joseph Gibert, a Spanish monk.
During this period, Cézanne's early dark paintings were influenced by French Romanticism and Realism. Models included Eugène Delacroix and Gustave Courbet whose works featured thick application of paint with high-contrast dark tones. His canvases used pronounced shadows and pure black mixed with brown, gray, and Prussian blue. Occasionally white dots or green and red brushstrokes brightened up the monochrome monotony. Themes included portraits of family members or demonic-erotic content reflecting traumatic experiences.
In 1866, 67, inspired by Courbet, Cézanne painted a series using a palette knife technique. He later called these works une couillarde meaning a coarse word for ostentatious virility. Among these were portraits of his uncle Dominique achieving a unified style similar to Impressionism though fragmentary. Later works included several erotic or violent subjects such as Women Dressing around 1867, The Abduction in 1867, and The Murder between 1867 and 1870 depicting a man stabbing a woman held down by an accomplice.
Camille Pissarro lived in Pontoise where he and Cézanne painted landscapes together during the early 1870s. For a long time afterwards, Cézanne described himself as Pissarro's pupil referring to him as God the Father saying We all stem from Pissarro. Under Pissarro's influence, Cézanne began to abandon dark colors and canvases grew much brighter. He adopted a color palette based purely on basic tones yellow red and blue breaking away from heavy overloaded paint application.
The loose painting technique consisted of brushstrokes placed side
by side following role models like Monet and Renoir. Portraits and figurative compositions receded while landscape paintings emerged with illusionistic deep space canceled more clearly. Objects continued to be understood as volumes reduced to basic geometric shapes transferred to entire picture areas. This design method counteracted dissolving impressions of Impressionist pictorial works while leaving traditional pictorial space behind.
In 1872, Cézanne accepted an invitation from Pissarro to work in Auvers-sur-Oise meeting doctor Paul Gachet who later became Vincent van Gogh's physician. Gachet made his studio available to Cézanne as an ambitious hobby painter. During this period, Cézanne felt that Impressionist techniques brought him closer to his goals heeding advice to always paint with three primary colors and their immediate deviations while refraining from linear contouring.
His still lifes painted from late 1880s focused on arrangement rather than objects themselves. A pear could be oversized achieving inner balance and exciting composition built arrangements in studio including jugs pots plates occasionally putto surrounded by white puffy tablecloth lending baroque opulence. Not objects attracted attention but shapes and colors distributed correctly flowing into one another creating contrasts playing together yet distinct.
In much-quoted letter dated the 15th of April 1904 to Émile Bernard he wrote Treat nature according to cylinder sphere cone
putting whole in perspective like each side surface leads central point. Even mountain understood as superimposition forms spaces structures rising above ground. His method involved building compositions from individual dabs spread across canvas form volume gradually build up requiring slow process often working months years before satisfied.
From vantage point above studio later called Terrain des Paintres painted several views mountain area most important themes later years. Precise observation prerequisite painting In order paint landscape correctly first recognize geological stratification. Total painted more than 30 oil paintings 45 watercolors writing friend 1890s art harmony parallel nature primarily concerned watercolor realizing specific application method particularly evident medium.
Late watercolors influenced oil paintings example study bathers 1902, 1906 depiction full empty spaces flanked color appears complete. Watercolours Vollard's Cézanne monograph 1914 Julius Meier-Graefe picture portfolio edited 1918 ten facsimiles based watercolors became known larger group interested parties lightly colored pencil studies occasionally appeared sketch albums carefully colored works equal realizations canvas form autonomous group.
After Paris Commune crushed couple returned May 1871 Paul fils son born the 4th of January 1872. Mother kept party family events father not informed Hortense fear risking wrath losing financial allowances artist received monthly allowance 100 francs from father. In late 1872 to 1874 lived
with Hortense son Paul Auvers-sur-Oise meeting doctor Paul Gachet later Vincent van Gogh physician.
On the 28th of April 1886 married Hortense presence parents connection legalized out love relationship long since broken down shy terrified touched trauma stemming childhood classmate kicked behind stairs stairs marriage intended secure rights fourteen-year-old son Paul loved very much legitimate son. From early 1870s early 1890s known 26 paintings Hortense endured strenuous sessions motionless patiently.
Vallier called help put bed never left it wife Hortense son Paul received telegram housekeeper too late died few days later. Before death, health deteriorated diabetes depression manifested growing distrust fellow human beings delusions persecution hateful press releases appeared numerous threatening letters received paintings not well received petty bourgeoisie Aix.
In 1903 Henri Rochefort visited auction Zola's possession published the 9th of March 1903 L'Intransigeant article Love Ugly describing spectators laughing fits seeing paintings ultra-impressionist named Cézanne public outraged many days copies L'Intransigeant appeared door-mat messages asking leave town dishonoring I don't understand world world doesn't understand me withdrew world said old Cézanne coachman.
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Henri Matisse Pablo Picasso said remarked Cézanne father us all. Until late 1890s mainly fellow artists Camille Pissarro art dealer gallery owner Ambroise Vollard discovered work among first buy paintings. In 1895 Vollard opened first solo exhibition Paris gallery leading broader examination Cézanne work prices rose hundredfold Vollard profited stocks.
Posthumous exhibitions paid tribute artist 1907 Bernheim-Jeune gallery showed 79 watercolors 5th Salon d'Automne exhibited 49 paintings seven watercolors two rooms Grand Palais visitors included art historian Julius Meier-Graefe Harry Graf Kessler Rainer Maria Rilke motivated many artists Georges Braque André Derain Wassily Kandinsky Henri Matisse Pablo Picasso crucial insights 20th century art.
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Common questions
When and where was Paul Cézanne born?
Paul Cézanne was born on the 19th of January 1839 at 28 rue de l'Opéra in Aix-en-Provence. His family originated from the commune of Saint-Sauveur in the Hautes-Alpes region.
Who were the three inseparables that included Paul Cézanne?
The three inseparables were Paul Cézanne, Émile Zola, and Baptistin Baille. They formed a close friendship during their school years at Collège Bourbon starting in 1852.
How did Camille Pissarro influence Paul Cézanne's painting style?
Camille Pissarro influenced Paul Cézanne to abandon dark colors and adopt a brighter palette based on yellow red and blue. This shift occurred while they painted landscapes together in Auvers-sur-Oise and Pontoise during the early 1870s.
What geometric shapes did Paul Cézanne use to construct his compositions?
Paul Cézanne instructed artists to treat nature according to cylinder sphere cone as stated in his letter dated the 15th of April 1904. He built volumes gradually using individual dabs spread across the canvas over months or years.
When did Paul Cézanne marry Hortense Fiquet and why?
Paul Cézanne married Hortense Fiquet on the 28th of April 1886 to legitimize their relationship and secure rights for their son Paul. The marriage was intended to protect their fourteen-year-old son from social stigma.