Post-Impressionist Art: Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh's Influence

Paul Cézanne: Post-Impressionist Master

Initially struggling, Paul Cézanne reached artistic maturity around 50 years old. Upon his father's death, his inheritance freed him from economic hardship, but it also strained his friendship with Émile Zola, who depicted a frustrated painter committing suicide in his novel L'Œuvre, a character Cézanne identified with.

Cézanne then developed an original pictorial conception. His style emphasized the interplay between the eye and the brain, believing they had to assist each other. This approach, combined with his reflections on composition, led him to believe that all natural forms could be reduced to simple geometric shapes: the sphere, cone, and cylinder. This simplification was crucial in the development of Cubism.

Cézanne utilized perpendicular and diagonal lines, where each touch of color conveyed volume and weight. This is evident in his iconic series, The Card Players. He also dedicated a significant series of paintings to Mont Sainte-Victoire, capturing it from various perspectives.

Paul Gauguin: Symbolism and Primitivism

Paul Gauguin, known for his book Noa Noa, exhibited with the Impressionists but felt distinct from them. He traveled to France and spent a period with Vincent van Gogh, but they had a disagreement and parted ways. Ultimately, his nostalgia for the tropics and his rejection of Western civilization led him to the South Seas, seeking the raw essence of nature in Tahiti.

He abandoned his association with the Impressionists, famously stating they "looked to the eye, instead of diving into the mysterious substance of the soul." His notable works include:

• The Vision After the Sermon
• Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?
• Arearea
• Jocose Figures

Vincent van Gogh: Emotion Through Color

Vincent van Gogh painted an astonishing 879 pictures in just nine years, yet only sold one canvas during his lifetime. Today, his works have broken all records for prices paid in art auctions. A deeply depressive person, he attempted to channel his spiritual crises into his art, cultivating social themes with dark and somber palettes, exemplified by his early works like The Potato Eaters.

In the vibrant Parisian art scene, his color palette began to "thaw," embracing new themes. In the last two years of his life, his genius reached full maturity in southern France, despite periods spent in a psychiatric hospital. For him, color conveyed emotion directly.

He painted iconic works such as The Starry Night and Sunflowers. He also depicted numerous interior scenes and culminated a series of 43 self-portraits, using his own face to experiment with pigments and techniques, often reflecting his deteriorating mental state. One of the most prominent is the Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.