The artwork, “A Painter at Work,” created by Paul Cezanne in 1875, is an oil on canvas that belongs to the Impressionist movement. It measures 24 x 34 cm and is classed as a genre painting. The piece was last noted as being part of a private collection.
This pastoral composition captures the essence of an artist immersed in his craft in nature. The scene features a painter, attired in a white coat and hat, sitting before his easel amidst a vibrant landscape. The brushwork is energetic and swift, indicative of the Impressionist style, with an emphasis on the perception of light and movement rather than on precise details. Cezanne’s use of color is bold, with a rich palette that imparts a sense of the outdoors, reflecting the ambience and creativity of the plein-air painting experience during this artistic era. The foreground is dominated by broad strokes of green and yellow, while the background melds into a tapestry of blues, greens, and earth tones, portraying a harmonious interaction between the artist and his environment.