Small Houses in Pontoise c. 1873 - 1874

Editor: This is "Small Houses in Pontoise," painted by Paul Cézanne. The brushwork is so visible, it feels almost like a woven tapestry of paint. What strikes you most about Cézanne's process in this work? Curator: I'm drawn to the materiality of it all. Cézanne's process wasn't just about depicting Pontoise; it was about constructing a reality with paint. The visible brushstrokes, the layering, these are deliberate acts, almost a commentary on the labor of seeing and representing. How does this emphasis on process change our understanding of landscape painting? Editor: I see what you mean. It shifts the focus from the scene itself to the act of creation. It makes you think about how he's transforming these ordinary houses into something...more. Thank you for pointing that out! Curator: Absolutely. By highlighting the materiality, Cézanne elevates the everyday and questions traditional notions of artistic skill and subject matter. It makes you reconsider value itself, doesn't it?