Paul Cézanne was a French painter best known for his paintings of still life and landscapes, but he also is famous for The Drinker. This painting depicted a dynamic man sitting at the bar in a loose shirt and hat. Cézanne’s technique involved small, methodical brushstrokes that contributed to the overall structural integrity of the work.
Inspired by his hometown in Provence where he found subjects to paint, Cézanne developed his unique style independent of art movements like Impressionism. Despite exhibiting with Impressionist artists like Monet and Cassatt, he didn’t consider himself an Impressionist nor did he share their emphasis on immediate experiences.
The innovative painting technique displayed in The Drinker inspired expressionists and cubists as well as influenced 20th-century art movements such as Cubism and Fauvism. Cézanne’s unique style helped pave the way towards Modern Art by focusing on structure rather than color or realism.
