Midterm Essay

Paul Cezanne, also known as the “Father of Modern Art”, is one of the most influential artists seen throughout history. In the late 19th century, Cezanne became the first artist of his generation to deliberately and successfully break away from Impressionism. Cezanne was a French oil painter but continuously failed to conform to the norms and movements of the art world during his time, such as the Cubism and Impressionist followings. Ultimately, Cezanne found a balance between the two - which was made by creating structured shapes and figures, while using the bold, life like colors inspired from the Impressionists. Furthermore, what separated him from all other artists was that he was also willing to sacrifice an accurate depiction of reality if it had the potential to strengthen the overall painting.
Cezanne painted in almost every genre, and was particularly successful in landscapes, still life work, and portraits. In particular, Cezanne used dark shadows to hold the form of his subject, while also putting brushtrokes of purples, greens, and vivid reds to emphasize the overall painting and put his “style” on it. These colors normally do not fit the average skin tone, but like the Impressionist movement, Cézanne created a sense of immediacy and excitement through using vibrant colors.
Ultimately, Cezanne’s work was very transformative which helped the art work progress further into modern times. However, the Post Impressionist attitude that Cezanne carried throughout his art, which included him disregarding the rules of color, and changing perspectives. Despite his various methods to painting compared to the norms during his time, his paintings are still marvelous, solid and filled with life. Without Cezanne, modern art would not be where it is today.