Cezanne and Provence: The Painter in His Culture

Rating:
Summary: A stunning picture
Review: This lavishly illustrated book paints a fascinating, colorful picture of the artist Cezanne and his life in his native Provence. Cezanne has generally been portrayed as a member of the Paris circles of modern art, but in truth he spent most of his life and time living and working in the beautiful countryside of Provence, where he was born. Kallmyer describes how the painter took the province, with its landscapes, agriculture, and people as a key subject, partly out of political motive. Centrists were working to establish Paris as the political center of power and government in France, much to the dismay and horror of rural French citizens. Cezanne worked hard to help Provence develop the identity it retains today as a lush, magical, light-filled place and the destination of millions of visitors each year.