“Tulips in a Vase”
This beautiful oil on paper piece, mounted on board, between 1888-1890, is by the French Post-Impressionist artist, Paul Cézanne. It is titled “Tulips in a Vase” and was likely created while he was in Paris, which is unique during this period as he liked to work in his homeland, Aix-en-Provence, in southern France.
Cézanne is known for taking his observations and methodologically turning them into geometrical forms and color planes on the canvas. He was interested in the intuitive and pictorial aspects of art, rather than the tangential art of interpretation and symbology.
In “Tulips in a Vase”, the bold brushwork so characteristic of Cézanne keeps the viewers eyes to the surface of the painting, rather than into the space that the tulips should be inhabiting. This is sort of like being interested in the second dimension rather than the third dimension.
Cézanne’s unique art style was a huge inspiration for cubism and the abstract art movement of the early 20th century, and for such artists as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.
“Tulips in a Vase” was made towards the end of Cézanne’s life. His father died in 1886, leaving him a rather large inheritance. By 1888, Cézanne had moved into his family’s estate. He wanted for nothing and was able to pursue that dream of creating what he wanted to when he wanted to. Cézanne sold this painting to the renowned Parisian art dealer, Ambroise Vollard, in 1896.
“Tulips in a Vase” is currently on display at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California.
For more on Paul Cézanne, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
