CÉZANNE, Paul
(b. 1839, Aix-en-Provence, d. 1906, Aix-en-Provence)

Still-Life with Apples and Peaches

c. 1905
Oil on canvas, 81 x 100 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington

Cézanne developed a completely new way of depicting objects in space. He reinvented still-lifes on the basis of their two-dimensionality, and used purely artistic means to give them depth. He used dual viewpoint to show objects from two different viewpoints. He avoided linear perspective in his depictions of objects, he could paint them so that their size was in proportion o to their importance in the composition as a whole.

Cézanne set up all his still-lifes in his studio. Some of the objects he used are still in his last studio on the Chemin des Lauves in Aix. Apart from the fruit, many of the objects, such as jugs, pots and plates, frequently recur in his compositions. The pictures often include a dramatically billowing white tablecloth, giving the paintings a touch of Baroque extravagance.




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