Paul Cézanne
Color relationships help construct the subject and space of a painting.
Key ideas
Cezanne returned to still lifes, figures and landscapes, exploring the relationships of color spots. Strokes not only indicate the surface: their directions connect parts of the image. An apple, fabric and mountain become an occasion to consider how a feeling of volume arises on a flat canvas.
Looking deeper
In a still life, the edges of the table and objects may not obey one point of view. Instead of immediately correcting the perspective, observe how these discrepancies work within the composition. Comparing several works helps to see consistent artistic goals.
“Still life with apples and a pot of primroses”; "Mount Sainte-Victoire and the Arc Valley Viaduct."
Find the work in the museum's official catalog and start with a description of the visible details.Select three adjacent spots of color in the landscape and describe which of them bring the shapes together and which separate them.
External educational material or museum catalogue. The above review is not a literal translation of the source.