The artwork titled “Bathers” by Paul Cezanne, created in 1875, is an oil on canvas exemplifying the Impressionist movement. The painting measures 38.1 x 46 cm and is considered a genre painting that features nudes. It forms part of the “Bathers” series by Cezanne and is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, US.
“Bathers” features a group of nude figures in an idyllic outdoor setting. The arrangement of the figures suggests a leisurely atmosphere, as some bathe in the water while others rest on the grassy bank. Cezanne’s brushstrokes are evident, giving texture and movement to the foliage, water, and sky. The composition is carefully balanced with a juxtaposition of vertical tree trunks and the horizontal water line. The use of broad, constrasting planes of color and shifting perspective underpins the dynamic structure of the scene. The figures are robust, rendered with a sense of volume and dimensionality that contrasts with the fluidity of their natural surroundings. Cezanne’s interest in architectural composition and the tactile quality of forms is evident, reflecting a departure from the more ethereal qualities typically associated with Impressionism towards the solidity and permanence that would later characterize Post-Impressionism.
