Paris exhibition explores Cézanne’s lasting influence on modern art

More than a century after his death, Paul Cezanne remains one of the most influential figures in modern art, according to the organisers of "Cezanne et nous", a major exhibition opening at Paris's Grand Palais on Wednesday (September 23).

The show brings together 70 works by Cezanne alongside more than 100 works by 80 artists, tracing his impact from the late 19th century to the present day.

"Visitors will discover how his contemporaries, such as the younger generation represented by Paul Gauguin, took an interest in him, and how, across all the avant-garde movements of the 20th century, from Picasso to Malevich, and right up to contemporary art, from Bridget Riley to Peter Doig, artists looked to Cezanne and drew upon his work for their own creative pursuits," exhibition curator Jean-Remi Touzet told Reuters on Tuesday (September 22).

Touzet said Cezanne's influence stemmed partly from his status as an outsider. "He thus embodies the figure of the artist in struggle: throughout his life, even with little recognition in Paris, he persisted in his artistic quest ... ultimately enjoying a kind of absolute freedom that serves as a true model for other artists," he said. "Matisse, for instance, would later say that in moments of doubt, he would think: 'If Cezanne is right, then I am right.'"

A key focus of the exhibition is Cezanne's still lifes, featuring apples, oranges and other everyday objects. "What is particularly striking is the way he simplified these fruits, vegetables, and objects," Touzet said, noting the artist's aim to reduce nature to simple forms and pure colours.

"That simplification, once you have transformed an apple into a red circle, leads to the abstraction of the 20th century," Touzet added. The exhibition runs until January 17, 2027.

Filming & Editing: Antony Paone; Production & Writing: Lucien Liber/Reuters