artist tuesday: paul cézanne

Bridging the gap between Impressionism and Cubism, Cézanne is often called the Father of modern art.  Naturally, he mingled with several other well-known artists, such as Renoir, Monet and Pissarro, to name a few. Many, what a cool posse to have, right? My favorite pieces by him are his paintings from the Provence region in France, where he was raised.  Don’t they just seem so calming? While these pieces came from the most successful period of Cézanne’s life, they also coincided with one of the most difficult parts of his life. The death his father, falling out with his best friend, troubles with his wife and eventually being diagnosed with diabetes also revolve around the man whose brushstrokes created these masterpieces. It seems that painting became a kind of escape for him during this tough time. The serenity of these scenes seems to contradict his tumultuous life, perhaps hinting at his desire for a more peaceful life. Like many of his contemporaries, the challenges Cézanne faced proved to be some of his greatest inspirations.

Riverbank

At the Water’s Edge

The Artist’s Father, Reading “L’Événement”

Mount Sainte-Victoire Seen from Bellevue

The Pond