\Paul Cezanne 1839-1906 Post Impressionist Artist French
- Cezanne had profound influence on modern artists of the 20th Century.
- He was encouraged by fellow artist Pissarro who encouraged his talent.
- Pissarro persuaded Cezanne to stop using so many dark colours and dramatic themes and paint using more natural and softer colours in a more direct response to nature.
Post impressionism artists used a wide range of different painting styles that emerged following impressionism in Europe. Artist such as Cezanne, Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin were all post impressionist artists. Generally, they considered Impressionism too casual or too naturalistic, and sought a means of exploring emotion in paint.
- Cezanne used vivid colours, thick application of paint, distinctive brushstrokes and real-life subject matter.
- Cezanne was inclined to give emphasis to geometric forms and to use unnatural or arbitrary color.
- Cezanne set out to restore a sense of order and structure to painting.
- He achieved order by reducing objects to their basic shapes while retaining the bright fresh colours of Impressionism.
- Cézanne’s work demonstrates a mastery of design, colour, composition and draftsmanship. His often repetitive, sensitive, cautious, delicate and exploratory brushstrokes are highly characteristic and instantly recognisable, almost as clearly recognisable as handwriting.
Words used to describe the painting:
Colour, harmonious, sensitive, layered paint, regular brushstrokes, simple forms, fine detail, he creates space and depth of perspective by means of planes of colour, tonal harmony, simplicity, Cézanne’s still lifes are both traditional and modern, gradation of tones, contrasted with warmer neutral tones
