The artwork “Bibemus Quarry,” created by Paul Cezanne circa 1900, exemplifies the Cubist art movement. It is an oil on canvas measuring 65 by 81 centimeters and portrays a landscape genre. The artwork is housed in the Folkwang Museum, located in Essen, Germany.
The artwork depicts a robust and colorful landscape, showcasing the angular rock formations of the Bibemus Quarry. This particular quarry was a significant source of inspiration for Cezanne. Different shades of ochre, green, and blue dominate the canvas, reflecting the natural hues of the quarry and its surroundings. The brushwork is structured yet dynamic, creating a sense of depth and volume. Cezanne’s technique is evident in the way he captures the light and atmosphere of the setting, which is indicative of his contribution to the foundations of modern art that lead towards Cubism. Trees, boulders, and foliage are rendered with thick, delineated strokes, contributing to the composition’s sense of solid form and spatial ambiguity, which are characteristic of Cezanne’s late works and integral to the movement’s aesthetic.
