Today in class we discussed post-Impressionism. We began our discussion by exploring the works of Paul Cézanne, which emerge as a fascinating departure from the Impressionist style. Cézanne’s dedication to capturing the essence of his native landscape, exemplified by his depictions of Mont Sainte-Victoire, resonates deeply with me. His meticulous attention to different light effects and his use of regular straight lines demonstrate a deliberate departure from the spontaneous brushwork of his Impressionist predecessors. I was particularly intrigued by Cézanne’s method of copying from Poussin, as evidenced in his scene from Bibemus Quarry, which he revisited a decade later with a markedly abstract approach, characterized by boxy forms and darker, thicker outlines.
Cézanne’s famous dictum, “Treat nature by the cylinder, the sphere, and the cone,” encapsulates his philosophy of reduction and simplification in art, which was evident not only in his landscapes but also in his still lifes. His still life compositions, such as “Basket of Apples,” “Peppermint Bottle,” and “Apples in a Bowl,” reveal a mastery of form and color. I was struck by how Cézanne effortlessly manipulated space and perspective, creating distinct areas of warm and cool colors to delineate objects on a horizontal surface. The way common elements like tablecloths and fabrics seem to spill out from the table underscores his keen sense of observation and meticulous attention to detail.