Paul Cézanne (1839-1906)

French painter

The French painter Paul Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence. His father was the founder of the Banque Cézanne & Cabassol. In 1852 Paul went to a new school where he met Emile Zola. From 1857 to 1862 he attended drawing lessons at the Ecole Spéciale et Gratuite de Dessin.

Académie Suisse

Paul Cézanne commenced law studies in Aix-en-Provence, according to his father's wishes, but abandoned his law studies in 1861. In Paris Paul Cézanne studied at the Académie Suisse in Paris and returned to Aix-en-Provence later that year. The next year Cézanne was turned down by the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He resumes life classes at the Académie Suisse in 1863.
Paul Cézanne copied works by Eugène Delacroix and Nicolas Poussin in the Louvre. His work was rejected by the Jury des Salons.
In 1869 he became acquainted with Hortense Fiquet in Paris.

Impressionists

Paul Cézanne took part in the first group exhibition of the Impressionists in the rooms of the photographer Nadar in 1874. Although Paul Cézanne also took part of the Second Impressionist exhibition only a few of his works were sold. In 1878 he received financial support from his old friend and writer Emile Zola.

Salon

In 1882 Paul Cézanne exhibited for the first time in the Salon. Her married Hortense Fiquet in 1886. After the death of his father Paul Cézanne inherited a considerable fortune.

Auguste Renoir

Cézanne worked together with Auguste Renoir in L'Estaque and Aix-en-Provence in 1888. In 1894 he visited Claude Monet at Giverny and met Auguste Rodin. A year later his first exhibition at Ambroise Vollard's gallery in Paris was held. In 1897 he settled permanently in Aix-en-Provence. During the next years Paul Cézanne painted his masterpiece "The Large Bathers".

World Exhibition

Three of his paintings were exhibited at the Paris Century Exhibition held during the World Exhibition in 1900. His first exhibition in Germany was held at Bruno Cassirer's gallery in Berlin. Thirty of his paintings were shown at the important exhibition in the Salon d'Automne in 1904.
Paul Cézanne died on 22 October 1906 in Aix-en-Provence.

More information

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Paul Cézanne in Provence