Interpretive Resource

The Bay of Marseilles, Seen from L’Estaque, 1886-90
Paul Cézanne (1839-1906)
Oil on canvas, 31 5/8 x 39 5/8 in. (80.2 x 100.6 cm)
Discussion
Cézanne painted directly from nature in the manner of the Impressionists. He was, however, not interested in capturing a moment in time; neither the time of day nor the weather occupied his attentions in The Bay of Marseilles. Rather, he sought to discover the basic harmony of color and form which, to him, underlies the structure and composition of nature. How has he accomplished this? Identify which parts of the composition create a complex grid, much like a puzzle, of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines. Quickly sketch this system of lines. How do these lines divide the composition into four large planes? What elements of the landscape do these planes represent? (Sky, water, land, and buildings.) Which area is the largest? What element of this composition anchors the bottom plane of the picture? Identify the shapes painted within the bottom plane. Where are we placed in relation to the elements in the landscape?

Activities
1. A grid of lines acts as a skeleton which supports Cézanne’s experimentation with color, form, and mass, creating a sense of volume. In two groups, the students should study the painting carefully. The first group should find the geometric shapes (cylinders, cubes, spheres, and cones); the second group should examine color contrasts and how the paint is applied to create a sense of volume. A spokesperson from each group can debate how Cézanne’s artistic choices convince the viewer of the massiveness and permanence of nature. Remember that the evidence for your arguments is in the painting.
2. Write an article for a travel magazine that records a walking trip through the area around the Bay of Marseilles. Describe the terrain or type of land. Judging from evidence in the painting, can you describe the climate in this part of France? How would you hike to the village? What would you do in or near the water? What body of water is depicted in this painting? What was your most memorable experience while hiking there?
3. Cézanne was one of the pioneers of Post-Impressionism who maintained a lifelong interest in the art of the Old Masters. He wanted his landscapes to have the same sense of structure and permanence as those of the seventeenth-century French painter, Nicolas Poussin. While in the Art Institute’s European galleries, compare and contrast Landscape with Saint John on Patmos by Poussin to Cézanne’s Bay of Marseilles. What has Cézanne learned from studying the work of Poussin? How has he built upon or expanded these ideas?
4. Cézanne is considered one of the fathers of modem art for his exploration of shape, color, and subject matter. His work profoundly influenced the next generation of artists. Compare The Bay of Marseilles to works of Cubist artists, such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. How do Cézanne’s innovations form a link to these Cubist painters?