Description
The work "River on the plain" (1868) by Paul Cézanne exemplifies the transition from classical art to modern movement, capturing the spirit of an era of innovation and reinterpretation. Although this painting is not one of the best known works of the artist, it reflects its constant search for the essence of nature and its focus on the underlying structure of landscapes.
In the composition, Cézanne presents a serene landscape where the horizontality of the river is dominated by the surrounding plain. This duality between water and earth creates a visual balance that evokes a sense of stability. Despite the apparent calm, the use of vigorous and textured brushstrokes gives the surface a vibrant and almost palpable quality. Cézanne examines the landscape not only as a physical place, but as a marking of human experience and the perception of the environment.
The color palette is remarkably rich, predominantly the tones of green and blue, which allude to vegetation and water respectively. Cézanne's choice to apply dense paint layers emphasizes the materiality of the work, suggesting both the natural luminosity and the depth of the space. It is interesting to observe how colors are intertwined, achieving a sense of unity and harmony that is characteristic of its style.
The treatment of light is also worthy of mention. Cézanne does not seek a faithful representation of naturalism; On the other hand, its use of light illuminates the surfaces in a game of shadows and reflexes that hints the presence of the sun on the landscape. This technique, where light is represented with touches of color, is a precursor to the use of color in postimpressionist painting, where artists began to explore the optical effects of light on nature.
As for the human figure, it is significant that in "river on the plain" characters do not appear. This absence accentuates the idea that the landscape itself is the protagonist of the work. Nature, in Cézanne's vision, is an entity that speaks for itself, likely to be explored and contemplated without the intervention of the human figure. This approach aligns with its desire to capture the essence and structure of the natural world, manifesting a deep connection with its environment.
Cézanne enters dialogue with the works of other contemporary and predecessor artists who also explored the landscape, such as the impressionists and the romantics, but their approach is uniquely introspective. The works of artists such as Claude Monet, who also dedicated themselves to the landscape, show similarities in color application, but differ in the way in which Cézanne establishes the structure and order within its composition.
"River in the plain" comes from a period in which Cézanne had already distanced himself from his first influences and began to define his unique style. This work is a testimony of its evolution, showing the search for simplicity and the desire to represent not only appearance, but the essence of nature. His legacy as a precursor of Cubism and modern art is anchored in his meticulous practice of observing, decomposing and reconstructing the visual reality that surrounded him. The painting offers a window to Cézanne's itinerance as an artist and the audacity that the canvas faced in his quest to capture not only the image, but the vibration of life itself.
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