The Peppermint Bottle 1893 - 1895

Paul Cézanne created 'The Peppermint Bottle' with oil on canvas, most likely during the late 19th century in France. Cézanne challenges the established academic tradition. The art institutions of his time favored polished, illusionistic depictions, and judged art according to those traditional standards. Cézanne subverts these conventions by embracing a more subjective and experimental approach to painting. The image is built up through visible brushstrokes. What is interesting here is the leveling of the items. The bottle and glass are not more important than the fruit and the fabrics. Cézanne appears to democratize his subject matter. Cézanne's commitment to his own vision and artistic freedom positions him as a progressive figure who critiques the institutions of art and anticipates the more radical movements of the 20th century. Understanding Cézanne and his context requires historical research, including the study of art criticism, exhibition records, and artists' correspondence to understand the social and institutional context in which his work was created and received.