Paul Cézanne
French
Born: January 19, 1839
Aix-en-Provence, France
Died: October 22, 1906
Aix-en-Provence, France
A pioneering figure in the transition from 19th-century Impressionism to 20th-century modernism, Paul Cézanne was a French artist born on January 19th, 1839, in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Cézanne was the son of a wealthy banker, a background that provided him with financial stability later in life but also contributed to early family tensions. His childhood was marked by a close friendship with Émile Zola, who later achieved literary fame as a novelist. This bond influenced Cézanne's intellectual development and exposed him to progressive ideas.
Despite his father’s disapproval, Cézanne displayed an early passion for art. In 1862, after overcoming familial resistance, he was granted a modest allowance and moved to Paris to study art, where Zola had already settled. Immersing himself in the Parisian art world, Cézanne drew inspiration from the works of Eugène Delacroix, Gustave Courbet, and Édouard Manet. These influences shaped his artistic ambitions and directed him toward new, daring styles.
A pivotal figure in Cézanne's artistic journey was Camille Pissarro, a leading Impressionist. Under Pissarro's guidance, Cézanne adopted the Impressionist approach to capturing natural light and transitioned from using somber tones to employing vibrant colors. During this period, he focused on depicting rural landscapes, villages, and farmland, embodying a growing connection to his native Provence.
In the late 1870s and 1880s, Cézanne became increasingly reclusive, distancing himself from many of his Parisian contemporaries and retreating to Aix-en-Provence. His relationship with Pissarro, once a cornerstone of his development, diminished after 1882. In 1886, Cézanne suffered a profound personal blow when he perceived Zola’s novel as a veiled critique of his struggles. This led to the termination of their long-standing friendship.
That same year, following his father's death, Cézanne inherited a substantial fortune, granting him financial independence at 47.
Cézanne’s later work had an immense impact on the trajectory of modern art. His innovative approach to form, color, and perspective inspired a generation of artists, including Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, who famously acknowledged, “Cézanne is the father of us all.”
Cézanne’s enduring legacy is his ability to bridge Impressionism and the avant-garde, shaping the following artistic movements.
Watch about Cézane in this episode of Art Unscripted by Eva!
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