Study of Puget's "Milo of Crotona" 1895 - 1898

Curator: It strikes me immediately how vulnerable this figure appears, even in sketch form. Editor: This is a pencil study by Paul Cézanne, made between 1895 and 1898. He's working here from a sculpture of Puget's "Milo of Crotona," depicting the mythological athlete being attacked by a lion. The format shows us its part of the artist’s sketchbook. Curator: It's fascinating to see Cézanne, known for his landscapes and still lifes, engaging with such a dramatic, historical subject. Milo, a symbol of masculine strength, here is reduced to these jagged lines – reflecting the moment of his agony. The unfinished aspect of the work highlights this feeling even more so. Editor: Indeed. Consider the function of this sketchbook drawing: Cézanne is wrestling, in a very material sense, with the conventions of academic art. Puget’s sculpture, a product of its own time and social values, becomes raw material for Cézanne. His rapid, repeated lines suggest a search for form and volume, almost a dissection. Curator: The lion itself is almost absent. What remains are symbols of mortality. It speaks to the decay of physical power, reminding us that even heroes are brought down by nature, by time. Editor: And that choice of medium is key, a humble pencil and sketchbook allowing him to tackle grand historical and mythological themes. His practice allows us to examine how knowledge, and in turn skill is gradually built up and passed from generation to generation. Curator: In contrast to the grand narrative Puget immortalized in marble, Cézanne has reduced Milo to an essence. A fleeting glimpse of pain, quickly captured. Editor: It invites us to look past the surface drama of the myth to understand the underlying material and process. To really see. Curator: An interesting perspective. Editor: As is yours.