The Consummate Hostess

Paul Cezanne is an important figure in the history of art. His work bridged the gap between Impressionism and the more avante-garde trends of the 20th century. Cezanne was particularly interested in the weight of objects and how the mass of one object related to and effected that of another object.



One of my favorite Cezanne images is the one above, A Modern Olympia, which is a delightful play on Manet's scandalous Olympia (below). Cezanne used a palette knife, rather than a brush, to give the piece a joyful, textured and utterly haphazard look, much different from Manet's piece.



Cezanne's work was painted in 1873 and Manet's in 1863. Both paintings can be found in The Musee d'Orsay in Paris. What do you think? Which painting appeals to you? Do you like the vibrant colors and energy of Cezanne's painting or do you prefer the more academic and controlled look of Manet's?