The artwork “Trees and Houses,” created by Paul Cézanne in 1886, exemplifies the Post-Impressionist movement. It is crafted using oil on canvas and measures 54 by 73 centimeters. This landscape is part of the collection at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, France, where it contributes to the rich tapestry of art history with its unique exploration of form and color that Cézanne is renowned for.
In the artwork, viewers are presented with a serene landscape scene characterized by a series of robust trees in the foreground that frame a view of distant houses. The composition’s depth is created by the interplay of the natural forms of the trees and the architectural structures. Cézanne’s brushwork is evident in the thick application of paint, which adds a tactile quality to the canvas. The color palette includes a harmony of earth tones punctuated by subtle hints of greens and blues, evoking a tranquil atmosphere. The artist’s approach to light and shadow contributes to the spatial composition, allowing the shapes and forms to emerge with a sense of volume and mass, which is a hallmark of Cézanne’s contribution to the development of modern art.