Antony Valabrègue
1866
Long before Paul Cézanne became famous for his colorful apples and geometric mountains, he went through a moody 'dark period,' and this portrait of his friend Antony Valabrègue is a perfect snapshot of that time. Painted in 1866, the heavy black suit and intense stare make Valabrègue look like a brooding Romantic hero, which is fitting since he was a writer and part of Cézanne's close circle in Aix-en-Provence alongside Émile Zola. You can already see the thick, chunky brushstrokes—especially on the hands and face—that hint at the revolutionary, textured style Cézanne would eventually develop to change modern art forever.
- Technique
- Oil painting
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