Mount Sainte-Victoire c. 1904

Paul Cézanne’s “Mount Sainte-Victoire” is made with oil paint and a clear-eyed, rigorous attitude. Look at that mountain! How many paintings did he do of it? I bet that mountain knew it was being looked at, contemplated from every angle, in all seasons. The painting feels like the result of a dare, one he set for himself. Like, “How many blues and greens can I find? And can I build a mountain out of them?” He’s not just painting what he sees, but what he knows is there. The painting feels like a slow build, block by block, thought by thought. It makes me wonder if he felt like he was actually constructing something, like a mason. You can almost feel the weight of the mountain. It’s solid, even though it’s made of fleeting colors. It is a testament to how painting isn't just about recording an image, but about building something that stands on its own. Like the mountain itself, paintings like these become a part of our landscape too.