Back on a upset story between the painter and his city

In 1886, Paul Cezanne Displays his ambition with little covered words. Moreover, According to him. Therefore, “there are treasures to take away from this country, which has not found an interpreter at the height of the wealth he deploys”. However, This performer will be undoubtedly. Landscapes. Moreover, portraits, still lifeseverything in the painting of Cezanne takes source in the South, in a vein still far from regionalism, which never attracted it. For example, Provence is gladly her subject, she does not necessarily have the accent. Moreover, Because Cezanne has an ambition, to become a great painter.

And it’s indeed in Pariswhere the masters are – whether alive. Nevertheless, hung on the ribs of the museums -, where the great battles and pictorial quarrels are also played, as the painter will spend a large part of his life. In addition, Despite the paternal reluctance. back upset story between painter For example, the young Paul managed to settle there in 1861, sharing, therefore, his time Between the North and the Southcoming to stay the winters in Provence, where he always finds the cottage and the cover with his family.

Torn between Paris and the South – Back upset story between painter

The decade 1870 will be more Parisian and Ile -de -Franceespecially for personal reasons: his father is not back upset story between painter aware of his affair with Hortense Fiquet or even the birth, on January 4, 1872, of his son Paul, which complicates the stays in Aix. Therefore, But in Paris, The disappointments are linked. For example, Cezanne fails in the entrance exam of the School of Fine Arts, he is closed the doors of the show. Moreover, The attendance of avant-garde painters is not a guarantee of success. Similarly, the gruff character The painter is not really adapted to Parisian ways. However, It was not until 1895. Meanwhile, and the unexpected support of the Merchant Ambroise Vollard, for Cezanne to benefit from His first big exhibition – He was then 56 years old.

At the end of his life, the homecoming is obvious. While his wife. son prefer the capital, it is in Aix May the old painter want to live and work. Does he also flee those whom some back upset story between painter bad tongues call “the ball” and “the ball”, Hortense and his son Paul? From 1885. pressing The inevitable southern tropismCezanne explained to Claude Monet: “So here I am falling back into the south, which I might never have moved away from, to set off in the chimerical pursuit of art. »»

Long absent from the Aix museum

“The position of Cezanne in the history of art is both universal and particularnoted Philip Conisbee in the catalog of the exhibition ‘Cezanne en Provence’ (2006). His art has a timeless resonance. but it was at homein Provence, in the country of Aix – this old native soil -, in and around the city of Aix which had seen it born, which it produced number of his most personal and original works. »

So why said wild Does it put so long to love it? Everyone keeps in mind the terrible sentence. pronounced around 1900 by the sculptor Auguste-Henri Pontier, then Curator at the Aix Museum And director of the drawing school: “Me alive, no Cezanne will enter the museum!” Legend. not, anathema lasted, to the point that the only works preserved for a long time in this museum, which back upset story between painter had nevertheless formed it as an artist, were The few academic drawings and copies of the young student from the archives of the drawing school. As of the painter’s death. in 1906, Ambroise Vollard was therefore happy to recover the Cezanne bought by some daring local collectors in a hurry to get rid of them, even if it means passing them through the windows. His works thus integrated The largest international collectionsin the United States or Russia.

A lively hostility between the painter. his Provencal contemptors

Au Granet Museumit was not until 1984 to obtain the Deposit of eight paintings national collections. No one is a prophet in his country. Of the lifetime of Cezanne. His painting, too unconventionalespecially in his so -called “Couillarde” period, his very personal style, the (sometimes) clumsiness of his first works, his impetuous temperament frightened the bourgeois at the highest point As much as they had hardly convinced the official authorities of Parisian fairs.

The one that Maurice Denis. however, nicknamed the “Master of Aix” made them good and was never tender with his fellows. His Parisian comrade Antoine Guillemet testifies to it. writes him without detour in back upset story between painter a letter dated November 1866: “The Aixois always annoyed his nerves, they ask to go to see his painting and then take it out; So he took a good way with them: ‘I piss you’ he told them and people without temperament flee terrified. »»

Henri Dobler, furiously conservative, judged that “the dirty painting” of Cezanne was “the greatest scam of the century”.

His worst detractor will be Henri doubles (1863–1941). a great defender of the Aix heritage and last owner of the Vendôme pavilion, an elegant baroque construction which he ceded later to the city. Mécène, collector, journalist … Dobler, furiously conservative, judged that “the dirty painting” of Cezanne was “the biggest scam of the century”. He was one of those who opposed the entrance to his works at the Granet Museum. Some artists tried to contest this local diktatclaiming the heritage of Cezanne. those whom the back upset story between painter old painter sometimes took the pattern to work by his side: Joseph Ravaisou, Édouard Ducros or Louise Germain.

It is however le support from Marcel Provence (Joannon of his real. name) which was decisive. Regionalist activist (what Cezanne was never!). Founder of the Paul Cezanne company – intended in particular for the preservation of the artist’s archives -, he bought the LAUTES Atelierabandoned, in 1922.

Provence kept the spirit of the place and lived there until his death in 1951. This close to Frédéric Mistral y fit venir Winston Churchill Paint in the back upset story between painter footsteps of the Aix master. Provence. to whom dobler sent these words: “And now, without resentment, my dear Marcel [Provence]love your Cezanne in all peace, while letting me at ease hate the art formula he represents and that the future, I hope, will judge. »»