CezanneArt Exhibit: PhiladelphiaExclusive

by Dana Nentw/g assistant photography editor

Philadelphia is the last stop for the greatly anticipated Cezanne art exhibit.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art was one of just three museums to host the impressive display of paintings. The only other museums to carry this show are the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and the Tate Gallery in London. It is the only stop in the United States for this exhibit, which began May 30 and will end Sept. 1.

People from all over the country have been flocking to Philadelphia to catch a glimpse of the famous art work.

The exhibit consisted of over 100 oil paintings and 70 watercolors from public and private collections around the world.

Although his work is greeted with awe and excitement now, Paul Cezanne's works were rejected as a whole at the beginning of his career. Even when he showed his paintings along with other now famous artists, the critics ignored and criticized him.

Even though he is characterized as an Impressionist, his work does not really fit the Impressionistic style. His style differs greatly from the styles of

Monet, Renoir, and Pissaro.

Cezanne has a style all his own. He used a limited palate of colors, and he painted with irregular strokes. He limited himself to painting still life, landscapes and portraits of family and friends.

Also included in this exhibit are several excerpts from Cezanne's sketchbooks. The majority of these sketches will remain at the Philadelphia Museum of Art along with seven watercolors and 15 paintings, including three of Cezanne's famous portraits of his wife.

The curators of this exhibit have also compiled a catalogue which contains 24.2 color reproductions of the paintings in watercolor and drawings that are being displayed. The catalogue also includes 262 black and white photos of his work as well as commentaries.

Having been to see this show, I have to say that it was one of the most spectacular experiences of my life. Although Cezanne is not one of my favorite artists, I could not help but be impressed by his style and talent. From the self portrait hanging at the beginning