Cézanne: Powerful and Lonely

Author: Michelle Ohg
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: "I still owe you the truth of art, and I will tell you in the future." Painting was the only focus in Cézanne's life. He neither worried about poverty nor indulged himself like other artists. Whether in Aix or Paris, the solitary man, supported by his father, persevered in adhering to the logic of color, conquering new spaces, and "realizing his feelings." Cézanne's works were once scorned and unrecognized, yet he established a new worldview in his paintings, nurturing the art of the 20th century. "The banker Cézanne sadly observed the birth of a future painter behind his counter. In Aix-en-Provence, a region in Provence, France, a talented middle school student, through this poem, defied his father's wishes and affirmed his determination to become an artist."
"The sketches and color elements on the canvas are never truly separated; as we apply color during the painting process, we gradually define the shapes; the more harmonious the color, the more precise the form. When color is enriched, the form becomes fuller. The contrast and relationships between tones are the secrets of depicting form and creating volume (model)."
"In nature, there are infinitely many things that attract me. I proceed slowly, and the nature before me is so complex; yet, I must constantly progress."
"Painting is about mastering the harmony within these multiple relationships, developing and transforming them within a novel and creative logic, placing them on one's own scale."
"For, if a strong sense of nature—something I truly experience—is the foundation of all artistic concepts, and also upon which the greatness and beauty of future works are built, then the understanding of how to express inner emotions is equally fundamental. These techniques can only be acquired through long experience."
"Light and shadow are a relationship between colors: these two primary external effects of objects differ not in intensity but in their respective hues."
"Shadow, like light, is also a color—it is merely relatively less bright. Light and shadow are merely relationships between two tones."
"Without lines, there is no volume—only contrasts. These contrasts do not come from black and white but from the sensations within color."
"Volume comes from the precise relationships between tones. When all tones are harmoniously arranged and fully present, the canvas itself will reveal volume."
Michelle Ohg is currently the Honorary Keeper of National Cultural Assets of France. From 1971 to 1988, she served as a professor at the Louvre Institute (I’école du Louvre) and was the director of the Orangerie Museum in Paris. She has organized numerous art exhibitions and published books such as Gauguin: Life and Work (1987) and Monet: Water Lilies (1984).