CÉZANNE’S DRAWINGS AT MOMA
Incredible and Rare Works Exhibited Together for the First Time
Paul Cézanne, who is known mostly for his beautiful Post-Impressionist paintings, was also the creator of some incredible works on paper. Until September 25th, 2021, the Museum of Modern Art in New York is showcasing over 250 of these lesser-known works in pencil and kaleidoscopic watercolor, which were produced throughout the artist’s entire career and could be seen as some of the greatest creations. The show is titled Cézanne Drawing and is located on the third floor of the museum.
Paul Cézanne was born in 1839 and died in 1906. He was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter who played a significant role in the transition from Impressionism in the late 19th century to Cubism in the early 20th century (and all the drastic changes that came with it). Matisse and Picasso both said it: Cézanne was “the father of us all”. Although he is mostly remembered for his paintings and his role in this transition, the drawings he produced were a key element in his practice from the late 1850s until his death in 1906. The more than 250 works on paper include drawings, sketchbooks, and rarely seen watercolors. Some paintings are also shown next to them in order to demonstrate how drawing played a significant role in the artist’s vision and artistic process. These paintings have been drawn from the MoMA’s collection as well as public and private collections from all over the world. Still, the 250 works are a small selection of the more than 2,100 works on paper he produced over the course of his career. He chose to use simple materials that were often at his disposal, such as industrially produced pencils, watercolors, and papers. As stated by the exhibition’s organizers, his drawings served as “diligent, daring investigations of surface and depth, line and color, vision and touch, and finish and un-finish,” and could take as long as a few days, weeks, or even years to complete. Visitors will be acquainted with his so-called study sheets (depicting different subjects in different styles and sizes), his sketchbooks (which explored several of his favorite themes), as well as a wide selection of large-scale watercolors: “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to see so many of these rarely exhibited works gathered in one place.”
Cézanne Drawing, which opened on June 6th, is the first major exhibition in the United States to bring together numerous different drawings created throughout the artist’s entire life and career. The show is organized by Jodi Hauptman, Senior Curator, and Samantha Friedman, Associate Curator, with Kiko Aebi, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Drawings and Prints. Laura Neufeld, Associate Conservator, David Booth Department of Conservation, is a key collaborator, part of the project’s curatorial conservation partnership. Accompanying the exhibition is a fully illustrated catalogue which offers a career-spanning appraisal of the artist’s works on paper, tracing the development of his practice, illuminating his themes and subjects, exploring his working methods, and ultimately revealing the essential role drawing played in shaping Cézanne’s vision. Don’t miss this eye-opening exhibition, closing September 25th, 2021.
