The EY Exhibition: Cezanne ★★★★★ Tate Modern | Oct 5, 2022 - Mar 12, 2023


Cezanne is often referred to as the artists' artist, and this major exhibition of his work demonstrates why he receives that appellation. The first five rooms of the exhibition trace how Cezanne became the painter he was: his move to Paris in 1861, his friendship with Zola and Pissarro, his creation of a family, and finally his withdrawal to L'Estaque in 1870. It is from this point that Cezanne definitively emerges as the painter who is so currently renowned; his sense of self and his artistic commitment are both confirmed from this point on. Room six looks briefly at the materials the artist employed in his various endeavours and sheds some light on the complexity of his technique as he uses the newly available commercial tools and supplies. The next three galleries look at the major themes of the artist's work: the iconic still life works with the signature props (apples, pears, water bottles etc.); the evocative landscapes with the emblematic Mont Sainte-Victoire and then Cezanne's celebrated bathers which look both to art's past and anticipate its future. It is particularly these latter figures which serve as inspiration to many of the painter's successors. Indeed, Room ten draws on the collections of artists, from Picasso and Matisse to Henry Moore and Jasper Johns. The final gallery covers the period from 1899 to 1906. For the first time, Cezanne has a purpose built studio, and while his work continues to be vibrant and innovative, an awareness of his mortality is clearly present. With this exhibition, the curators have created an outstanding overview of an artist who is a germinal figure in contemporary culture.

Rated: ★★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Image: Paul Cezanne Still Life with Apples 1893-1894. The J Paul Getty Museum

When, Where, Getting there:

Most Popular

It Runs in the Family ★★★★ The Mill at Sonning | Feb 13 - Apr 12, 2025

St. Martin in-the-fields: Lunchtime Concerts ★★★★ FREE

Clueless - The Musical ★★★★ Trafalgar Theatre | Until September 27, 2025

Edvard Munch Portraits ★★★★ National Portrait Gallery | Mar 13 - Jun 15, 2025

Retrograde ★★★★★ Apollo Theatre | Mar 8 - Jun 14, 2025

Men’s Business ★★ Finborough Theatre | Mar 18 - Apr 12, 2025

Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo ★★★★ Royal Academy of Arts | Mar 21 - Jun 29, 2025

Punch ★★★★★ Young Vic | Mar 1 - Apr 26, 2025

Wilko: Love and Death and Rock 'n' Roll ★★★ Southwark Playhouse, Borough | Mar 20 - Apr 19, 2025

José María Velasco: A View of Mexico ★★★★ The National Gallery | Mar 29 - Aug 17, 2025

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings