Paul Cezanne
Author: Chloe Hurst Date Published: 29.11.22
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Recording Accuracy
Because we do not possess the references that Cezanne used, I cannot identify how accurately he recorded this. Therefore, I will use familiar objects in his works to understand how accurately he recorded them. In the Self Portrait with Olive Coloured Wallpaper, we see exactly like its name, a self-portrait of Paul Cezanne. From multiple other self-portraits, he has done, and can hee how accurately he recorded himself. Using a photo I found of himself on the internet, I can clearly see how well he recorded his facial structure. The cheekbones, eyebrows, nose and beard have been given particular attention to, as these are the main things that identify someone with their face. The shape of his forehead has also been deeply analysed. As an artist, one of the easiest references is your own body. All you need is a mirror and you can have a perfect example of anatomy at your fingertips. This example has shown me the importance of having a physical reference. Instead of relying on photographs, I can take my objects into class so that I can fully understand how the object takes up volume. This also allows me to manipulate the light source and experiment with many different compositions.
Colour and Tone
Colour and Tone were one of the main reasons why I chose Paul Cezanne as one of my model artists. In the artwork, Madame Cezanne in a Red Armchair, Cezanne uses a colour palette of red, green and blue. In the use of colours, Cezanne blends those three main colours together to show cohesion. For example, in the green stripy skirt, there are hints of both red and blue. These great different hues of red-ish greens and blue-ish greens. This is also done in the top the woman is wearing. There are both hints of green and red. The technique is also echoed in the armchair and background. Madame Cezanne’s skin had both greeny blues and reds in it as well. This technique is something that is very pleasing to look at and makes the artwork more strong. In many of the works I see, Cezanne uses a small tone change. Not many dark blacks or pale whites. This gives the artwork a limited tonal value. Many artists may see this as a bad thing, but I believe Cezanne does this to let the subject speak for itself. When flashy harsh lighting is used, it draws your eyes to it and makes the piece more passionate and dramatic. When the tonal value is condensed into a small range, it gives the artwork a different mood. Cezanne breaks this continued theme in Young Italian ‘Girl Resting on Her Elbow’. Here, the giant blue-white sleeve contrasts the warm brown background. The young Italian girl has purple lighting on the left of her face and is also highlighted on her sleeve. The way Cezanne adds detail to specific areas and brushes large compendious strokes in areas with less interest is truly the work of a genius. In the ‘Self Portrait with Olive Coloured Wallpaper’, Cezanne makes cheeks, nose, and ears all much redder than, say, his forehead or chin. This is because those areas are thinner and blood circulates more there. Therefore, the blood's colour is shown.
Quality of Media application
Looking back at the Self Portrait with Olive Coloured Wallpaper, I can see a technique that I personally like. Cezanne uses square/geometric brushstrokes of colour, all in the same angle to convey fluidity. This also makes the art look alive (similar to starry night). Scratchy brush textures give the art more interest. Blending too much is definitely something Cezanne does not do. His paint application speaks for itself: leaving bold and confident lines everywhere.
Composition
Out of all of the previously mentioned paintings, Cezanne had a very simple composition of putting the main object in the centre of the painting. Cezanne uses leading lines and line diagonal brush strokes to make your eyes move towards what he wants you to look at. Humans automatically look at faces as we are able to comprehend them. Paul Cezanne knows this and emphasises the faces by making leading lines towards the face. For example, the sleeves, skirt, and fabric in Young Italian Girl Resting on Her Elbow all are leading towards her face. In Madame Cezanne in a Red Armchair, the lines of her skirt guide your eyes toward her face. Another composition feature Cezanne uses is the angle that the subject is at. In the Self Portrait with Olive Coloured Wallpaper, Cezanne purposefully draws the portrait at a ¾ angle of the face to make it more dynamic and show 3-dimensional qualities. A straight-on portrait has much less appeal as it looks flatter
Iconography and Meaning
In Paul Cezanne’s work, the majority is people, bowls of fruit, or tree landscapes. Cezanne doesn’t just paint peoples portraits - he paints their soul. He gives the painting a mystery, a story. Why does the lady in, ‘Girl Resting on Her Elbow’ look tired? What is she resting on? In ‘Madame Cezanne in a Red Armchair’ The red armchair holds great significance as it is in the title of the work. But why? What does the armchair represent or mean to Madame Cezanne? In ‘Self Portrait with Olive Coloured Wallpaper’, What is Cezanne looking at? Where is this room with olive coloured wallpaper? What makes Cezanne’s paintings interesting is that he invites you to question these things. Allowing ambiguity in intention allows amateur artists like myself to investigate different experiments until we find the reason.
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