|
When Cezanne first arrived in Paris, his pigments were dark and heavy, often applied with a palette knife. In later years he
remembered that it was Pissarro who had brightened his palette and told
him "Never paint except with the three primary colours." The bright hues and quickly worked brushstrokes reveal the effect of
Pissarro's influence. Greens and yellows contrast in the foreground, and multihued vertical drags of the brush recreate watery
reflections. Cool shadows contrast with the orange of a tiled roof. Light emphasizes the blond planes of the building, which is
shaded with blues, greens, and mauves, and where broad strokes and heavier paint convey texture.
The elaborate signature and date are unusual in Cezanne's work. Perhaps he intended the picture for public exhibition -- at
the urging of Pissarro, three of his paintings were included in the first impressionist show -- or for a patron. In 1873 Cezanne
moved to the village of Auvers, where this was painted. It was near Pissarro's home, and the two of them often worked side by
side during 1873 and 1874. Auvers was also home to Dr. Gachet, a collector who would later care for the despairing Van Gogh.
Cezanne may have hoped Gachet would purchase his work, which was ignored by the public. Cezanne returned to Provence and, after
inheriting his father's large estate in 1886, largely abandoned efforts to promote his work. He did not realize commercial
success until he was in his fifties.
|
