Banks of the Seine at Médan 1880 - 1885

Editor: So, this is Paul Cézanne's "Banks of the Seine at Médan," made sometime between 1880 and 1885. It's a watercolor drawing, and there's a sense of transience in it, almost like a fleeting impression. What do you make of it, especially considering the period he was working in? Curator: Cézanne, situated between Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, really challenges the established academic art world. This work, done en plein air, signifies a move towards capturing lived experience. But look closely. Do you notice how the "impression" isn't just about light? Editor: I see, it's about form too. It feels like he’s trying to build something solid out of these transient impressions. Curator: Precisely. This shift is a quiet revolution against the Salon system. While artists like Monet were becoming famous capturing fleeting light, Cézanne, supported by figures like Zola, aimed to build something more enduring, more structured, more…modern. How do you think the rise of places like the Musée du Luxembourg at this time played into this? Editor: Well, weren't they starting to showcase more contemporary artists? It gave artists like Cézanne a different goalpost than just the approval of the traditional Academy, right? Curator: Exactly. It shifts the public role of art. Now, the artist engages with a broader audience, one open to personal expression and experimentation, fostering art's democratic potential. And this, despite continued gatekeeping in these same public institutions. Editor: So this unassuming watercolor is him quietly contesting power structures through how he visualizes the world! I never would have thought of it that way just by looking at it. Curator: That's the power of understanding art history! Hopefully, you will see similar social underpinnings at play in other works.