Bust of Madame Cézanne 1884 - 1885

Paul Cézanne made this delicate graphite sketch of his wife, Madame Cézanne. The composition is structured around simple geometric forms and balanced asymmetry. The soft, diffused light and finely hatched lines give the drawing a gentle, contemplative feel. The figure's face is rendered with subtle shading and detail. Note the solid sphere that anchors the lower portion of the drawing. It introduces a spatial ambiguity, challenging our perception by flattening the pictorial space. Cézanne destabilizes traditional portraiture by deconstructing the subject into fundamental shapes. He explores a visual language that mirrors his broader project of questioning representation itself, reflecting early modernist ideas about form and structure. This sketch offers a glimpse into Cézanne's structuralist approach, where the essence of the subject is found in its underlying geometric forms, influencing the trajectory of modern art.