The hidden Cézanne

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Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) is celebrated as a leading figure in modern art and the foremost painter of the late nineteenth century. However, his significant contributions as a draftsman are less recognized, with limited scholarship and exhibition focus on this aspect of his work. The Kunstmuseum Basel's Kupferstichkabinett houses 154 sheets by Cézanne, making it the most comprehensive collection of his drawings globally. This collection, established in the 1930s, reflects the museum's visionary acquisition strategy. Two-thirds of the drawings originate from dissolved sketchbooks, reconstructed for this presentation, revealing the core of Cézanne's creative process. The collection features a range of subjects, from early violent scenes and portrait sketches to studies after Delacroix and landscapes. Cézanne's method involved repeated studies from varying angles, enhancing his understanding of perception and leading to innovative pictorial approaches. His watercolors illustrate the dynamic relationship between line and color, breaking free from traditional constraints. In his paintings, lines play a crucial role, often beginning with preparatory drawings that he refined with brushwork before applying paint. This exploration provides valuable insights into Cézanne's artistic development. Exhibition: Kunstmuseum Basel - Neubau, Switzerland (10.06.-24.09.2017).