The Bathers
1896-97
Paul Cézanne was absolutely obsessed with bathers, creating over 200 of these figures throughout his career to explore the relationship between the human form and nature. In this loose, sketch-like scene, nude figures relax by the water, with the central standing man looking almost like a statue carved right out of the landscape. He used delicate pencil lines and soft watercolor washes to build up the forms, a technique that bridged the gap between Impressionism and the geometric shapes that would later inspire Cubism. Cézanne often worked from memory rather than live models, giving these bathers their timeless, slightly awkward, and deeply charming quality.
Views: 8