Flowers in a Rococo Vase c. 1876

Paul Cézanne made this oil painting, Flowers in a Rococo Vase, sometime in the late 19th century. The Rococo style was all the rage a century before Cézanne, known for its ornamentation and aristocratic associations. Cézanne’s flowers in a Rococo vase is made through the skilled application of paint, each brushstroke deliberate. The thick texture of the paint itself becomes a key element. Notice the way that the brushstrokes are visible, almost sculptural, building up the forms of the flowers and vase with layers of color. Cézanne applied these strokes with a craftsman’s attention to detail, imbuing the painting with a sense of materiality and depth. Cézanne's work challenges traditional hierarchies, elevating the act of painting itself to a form of skilled labor. His emphasis on the material qualities of paint anticipates later movements that blur the lines between art and craft.