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The Art Of Paul Cezanne

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Introduction Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso were both profoundly influenced by the art of Paul Cézanne, somewhat ironically since the latter is reported to have been quite uncertain of his artistic contributions and anxious about his legacies (Merleau-Ponty, 1945). Picasso described Cézanne as “my one and only master” ; while Matisse noted that “it is undoubtedly to Cézanne that I owe the most” . The Large Bathers was one of two final paintings produced by Cézanne in 1906, the year of his death. At this stage Matisse had acquired a reputation as an upcoming artistic leader via an exhibition in 1905 (Bio, n.d. #1); while Picasso was a 25 year old prodigy who had already secured lucrative patronage (Bio, n.d. #2). The three paintings of interest must be considered in the context of their artists’ evolution. To examine the relationship between the three paintings, I will first briefly summarise the artistic trends of the day to provide context, then examine The Large Bathers. I will then compare and contrast Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, both with The Large Bathers and with each other. Europe, 1906 The turn of a century brings with it opportunities for reflection about the old and wonder about the new – along with both excitement and trepidation. At the entry to the twentieth century, social and technological change were continuing at historically unprecedented pace. The signs and pressures of development were all around and Europe was

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