Cézanne in Provence

Published on the centenary of the death of Paul Cezanne (1839 - 1906), this stunning book celebrates the artist's depictions of his native Provence. While Cezanne is recognised as one of the fathers of the modern movement, this publication focuses on his own sense of achievement, especially as a painter exploring the landscape in and around his hometown of Aix-en-Provence. Although he spent time elsewhere in France, especially Paris, Cezanne repeatedly returned to Provence, where he lived nearly all of the last twenty years of his life. In studios at the Jas de Bouffan and at Les Lauves, and on painting expeditions into the surrounding countryside, Cezanne created some of his most original and compelling works, not only landscapes but also portraits of local characters, friends and family; still lifes and imaginative figure paintings, such as the monumental bathers painted in the last decade of his life. Beautifully illustrated with some 160 paintings and watercolours, Cezanne in Provence offers fascinating insights into a true genius in the history of art and his beloved native countryside. Exhibition schedule: The National Gallery of Art, Washington, 29 January to 7 May 2006; Musee Granet, Aix-en-Provence, 5 June to 17 September 2006.