Cézanne: Bridging Impressionism and Cubism

Edgar Degas, At the Races in the Countryside, 1869. Oil on canvas.

Though frequently identified as an Impressionist, Edgar Degas did not like the term and thought of himself as a realist. He did not paint en plein air as much as his peers did, and in this painting, we can see how he captured the lightness and energy of other Impressionists in his own unique style. Degas would be an inspiration to Cézanne, who also broke the mold in his own works.

Camille Pissarro, Sunlight on the Road, Pontoise, 1874. Oil on canvas.

Another inspiration was Camille Pissarro, his first major teacher and later a close friend. The two became peers and painted together at Pontoise and other locations in the French countryside. Though working outdoors necessitates quick work, Cézanne would note, “I am progressing very slowly, for nature reveals itself to me in very complex forms.”

Paul Cézanne, The Pond, about 1877–79. Oil on canvas.

Pissarro encouraged his pupil to take on a lighter, brighter palette. While this painting is an excellent example of Impressionism and is reminiscent of Pissarro, Cézanne would soon move on to a style more distinctly his own.

Paul Cézanne, Turn in the Road, about 1881. Oil on canvas.

Turn in the Road shows the artist delving into the explorations of perspective that would come to define his work. The curving road and multiple angles of the buildings clearly evoke the winding streets of a small French town, making this cityscape realistic but subtly distorted. Multiple vantage points are shown at once, giving the composition the feeling that we are moving through it.

Edouard Manet, Basket of Fruit, about 1864. Oil on canvas.

Cézanne’s approach to still lifes was similar. Artists like Edouard Manet were creating Impressionistic tableaux using loose, expressive brushstrokes and emphasizing colors and feelings over realistic imagery.

Paul Cézanne, Fruit and a Jug on a Table, about 1890–94. Oil on canvas.

Meanwhile, Cézanne was carefully analyzing the textures and colors of his subject matter, focusing more on the details than perhaps the overall composition. While other contemporary works invite us to get lost in a world of brushstrokes, Cézanne draws us into his compositions, demanding that we examine the geometric details that fascinated him.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mixed Flowers in an Earthenware Pot, about 1869. Oil on paperboard mounted on canvas.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Mixed Flowers in an Earthenware Pot seems quite traditional when compared to Cézanne’s works. Considered a founder of Impressionism, like his contemporaries, Renoir worked to capture scenes through quick impressions and flitting brushstrokes. Though the two men painted together, their outcomes were strikingly different.

Paul Cézanne, Nature morte de pêches et poires (Still life with Peaches and Pears), about 1885-87. Oil on canvas.

In his Still life with Peaches and Pears, we can clearly see how unique Cézanne’s approach was. Using vibrant colors and methodical brushstrokes, this painting is captivating for its subtle distortion of perspective. The bowl of fruit is shown viewed from above, while the pear, casting an incongruous shadow, is shown from the side. The tabletop is similarly off. While retaining realism, Cézanne’s chiseled brushstrokes and insistence on multiple vantage points paved the way for the dramatic Cubism that Pablo Picasso would be famous for.