Flowers in a Vase 1873

Curator: Let's explore Cézanne’s "Flowers in a Vase" from 1873. It’s an oil painting, quite a departure from traditional still life paintings, wouldn't you say? Editor: Absolutely. What immediately grabs me is how intensely textured the brushstrokes are, like the paint itself is a tactile object rather than just representing one. What do you make of that? Curator: For me, it brings questions about artistic labour to the surface. Instead of prioritizing illusionism, Cézanne spotlights the 'making' of art. Look at the visible strokes. Think about the labor invested. He uses these traditionally decorative items to foreground the physical work. Do you think that changes the context for the work for his viewers? Editor: It definitely makes me consider the artistic process itself as a subject. He’s not just showing us pretty flowers, but showing us how they're constructed through his process. It disrupts that whole 'art for art's sake' thing. Curator: Exactly! It raises interesting points regarding how he used cheap, industrial paints and brushes. High art meeting with commercially produced products is pretty innovative at the time. What would be the ramifications, socially, of a famous artist using commonplace objects and techniques for art making? Editor: So, by emphasizing the materials and labor, he is blurring the boundaries between 'high art' and everyday life. Something everyone might purchase could also create meaning. Curator: Yes! By examining art through the lens of production and consumption, we can find out the relationship of art to society, challenging some norms about art that remain to this day. Editor: I hadn’t considered the societal context so deeply before. I guess I saw just flowers. Now I'm thinking about materiality and its ramifications! Thanks for a fresh perspective. Curator: The painting invited these considerations! My pleasure.