The artwork titled “A Close,” created by Paul Cezanne in 1890, is an oil on canvas that is representative of the Post-Impressionism movement. As a landscape genre painting, it conveys the artist’s perception of the natural world through a distinctive brushwork and color palette that breaks away from the more precise interpretations of earlier traditions.
Upon examining the artwork, one is immediately struck by the interplay of light and shadow that animates the scenery. The artist has employed a rich tapestry of greens, imbuing the painting with a sense of vitality that is characteristic of living landscapes. The foreground is dominated by various shades of green which suggest lush, grassy terrain. Central to the composition are robust trees, whose trunks and branches are rendered with a series of energetic and confident brushstrokes, providing a structural framework to the piece. These arboreal forms lean and intersect in a manner that guides the viewers’ eyes across the canvas, creating a sense of depth and movement.
Behind the lattice of tree limbs and foliage, a suggestion of a clearing or open space can be discerned. The background is composed of softer, more muted tones, which contrast with the vivid greens and dark forms of the trees in the foreground. This juxtaposition serves to further emphasize the depth of the landscape. Cezanne’s brushwork is loose, yet deliberate, echoing the shifting qualities of light as it filters through the canopy above. The sky, barely noticeable amidst the dense overhang of branches, appears as a serene backdrop to the dynamic activity of the tree-laden landscape.
Overall, “A Close” is an exemplar of Cezanne’s innovative approach to portraying the natural world, where the sensory experience of the environment is translated into bold color and form, laying the groundwork for future artistic developments in the early 20th century.
