The Mill 1889 - 1892

This graphite on paper work is titled 'The Mill' by Paul Cézanne, who lived between 1839 and 1906. Cézanne created this drawing during a period of significant social and artistic change in France, a moment when artists were beginning to break away from academic traditions, exploring subjective experiences. The rough, unfinished quality of the sketch reflects this departure, challenging traditional standards of beauty and representation. Consider the cultural implications of depicting a mill, historically a site of labor. Cézanne transforms it into an object of aesthetic contemplation. Are you drawn to the contrast between the industrial structure and the natural setting? How does the sketch aesthetic capture the tension between the working classes and the comfortable classes, a pervasive theme in late 19th-century France? 'The Mill' invites us to reflect on the changing dynamics of labor, landscape, and identity during a pivotal time in European history.