Paul Cézanne was a French Post-Impressionist painter born on January 19, 1839. His work introduced new modes of representation and influenced avant-garde artistic movements of the early 20th century. Cézanne is said to have formed the bridge between late 19th-century Impressionism and early 20th century Cubism. His often repetitive, exploratory brushstrokes are highly characteristic and clearly recognizable. He used planes of color and small brushstrokes that build up to form complex fields. The paintings convey Cézanne’s intense study of his subjects. Both Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso are said to have remarked that Cézanne “is the father of us all”. His painting provoked incomprehension and ridicule in contemporary art criticism. Until the late 1890s it was mainly fellow artists such as Camille Pissarro and the art dealer and gallery owner Ambroise Vollard who discovered Cézanne’s work and were among the first to buy his paintings.
In terms of cultural impact, Cézanne’s works and ideas were influential in the aesthetic development of many 20th-century artists and art movements, especially Cubism. His unique method of building form with color and his analytical approach to nature influenced the art of Cubists, Fauves, and successive generations of avant-garde artists. Cézanne inspired artists to challenge traditional art styles and revolutionize painting for generations to follow. His artistic approach launched one of the four major trends in movement now defined as Post-Impressionism. His move to the countryside became a model for other Post-Impressionist leaders who also worked and lived in the South of France.
