House in Provence

Other title: Maison devant la Sainte-Victoire, pres de Gardanne
Gift of Mrs. James W. Fesler in memory of Daniel W. and Elizabeth C. Marmon

Gallery label:
A classic example of Cézanne's mature style, this landscape is set in the south ridge of Mont Sainte-Victoire, the artist's favorite motif, near his home in southern France. Although Cézanne was influenced by his outdoor studies with Camille Pissarro, he did not share the Impressionists' fascination with the changing conditions of the landscape. Seeking instead the basic structure underlying nature, Cézanne built compositions of carefully ordered geometric forms. He converted the rugged terrain of Provence into a network of horizontal bands, punctuated by vertical accents and the cubic form of the isolated farmhouse. The resulting image echoes the enduring presence of Cézanne's mountain. [source]