“The Bather”
Today, a piece from an artist who was a huge inspiration for cubism and the abstract art movement of the early twentieth century…
“The Bather” is an oil on canvas painting by the French Post-Impressionist artist, Paul Cézanne, from circa 1885.
This was quite a modern painting in its day. Bathers in landscapes were common, but in this piece, Cézanne focuses on a solitary figure where his body assumes most of the canvas.
Blending with the landscape behind him, a young man is stepping cautiously into the water. The viewer is given a personal glimpse into the mood of the man and his inward pensiveness. Some critics believe that this piece may have served as a study or inspirational piece for some of Cézanne’s future works. This would explain the break from his usual style.
Cézanne actually painted this from a photograph, rather than en plein air as most impressionists did. Photography was still a new technique and artists such as Cézanne and Picasso started to use photos in their painting process. The impressionism influence is evident in Cézanne’s use of color.
“The Bather” is currently in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in the United States.
For more on Paul Cézanne, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
