Paul Cézanne
Introduction
Paul Cézanne forms one of the greatest Post-Impressionist artists of the 19th century. Cézanne is popularly known not only for his intense portraits and beaming landscapes but also for his complex still lives. Besides, his influence goes beyond each aspect of the Post-Impressionist investigation, from exploring the experiential truth regarding painting to the acquiring of vision and focusing on the canvas’ space dimensionality. One of the greatest and most touching or poignant of the early works of art is Cezanne’s painted portrait of his friend and fellow artist, Achille Emperaire.
Like Cézanne, who was ten years older than him, Musée d’Orsay (2020) indicates that Emperaire was born in Aix-en-Provence in 1829. Generally dwarf in stature with a hunched back, Emperaire is argued to have lived in abject poverty and never achieved much recognition during his lifetime. The two met in Paris during the early part of the 1860s and became good friends no less than ten years.
Made in 1868, the portrait of Achille Emperaire was created using oil paint on canvas material. In the painted portrait, the dwarf artist is calmly seated in an armchair with his crippled body covered in a blue-colored robe and his skinny legs lying on a stool. Directly above the armchair, against the dark background, which is made of canvas, is an inscription that reads, “Achille Emperaire Peintre.” As highlighted by Becks-Malorny & Cézanne (2001), the unbalanced nature of Emperaire’s dwarfism is undoubtedly apparent, together with a strikingly large forehead. The decoration of Emperaire’s seat is illustrated very accurately. The strong anterior approach, a uniformly lit representation with very limited areas of shadow as well as the bold usage of color, offers the subject an immense dignity. Indeed, the painted portrait grants the humble artist the appreciation that evaded him during his lifespan.
In his work of art, Cézanne dramatizes the dwarf physique of his best friend, Emperaire, in a pictographic construction, consequently emphasizing his friend’s sickliness as well as deformed body (Becks-Malorny & Cézanne, 2001). Indeed, Cézanne creates an unusually perplexing representation that not only focuses significant interest on his best friend’s physiognomy but also exaggerates the portrait’s visibility and importance.
According to Platzman & Cézanne (2001), the painted portrait has many contradictions, which can be interpreted in multiple perspectives. On one hand, it conveys great sympathy for the difficulty facing his embattled friend. Indeed, with a stunning head, the portrait projects an individual who has greatly wrestled in vain against insoluble odds. Alternatively, the portrait also portrays Emperaire as a resilient person who is satisfied despite his deformed body. In fact, Cézanne describes him as genius in a crooked hearth. In general, Platzman & Cézanne (2001) argues that, in spite of the compassionate undertones, the dominant message of the piece of artwork remains extremely critical. Certainly, the work overflows with significant sarcasm or irony. Overall, the most significant influence of Cézanne’s piece of artwork is undoubtedly its emotional command and artistic ingenuousness, including the bizarre amalgamation of greatness, sadness, irony, and as the occasioning uncertainty regarding what to make of Cezanne’s depiction of his close friend.
Conclusion
As a revolutionary Post-Impressionist painter or artist, Cezanne stresses the diverse artistic dialogue that various artists often developed, in addition to exploring the ideological and artistic concepts that bind various artists. For instance, in the above-highlighted work of art, Cézanne dramatizes the dwarf physique of his best friend, Emperaire, in a pictographic construction. The painted portrait expresses many contradictions, which can be interpreted from multiple perspectives. On one hand, it conveys great sympathy for the difficulty facing his embattled friend, who has greatly struggled in vain against insoluble odds. On the other hand, the portrait also portrays Emperaire as a resilient person who is contented with whom he is despite his deformed body.