Cézanne/Renoir, Masterpieces from Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée d’Orsay
Book Cover Courtesy of SKIRA
on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Impressionist movement, Cézanne/Renoir, Masterpieces from Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée d’Orsay ($40, 192 pages, 85 color illustrations, published by SKIRA) highlights a marvelous selection of masterpieces, delving into the life and work of two masters of 19th and 20th century art. Instrumental in shaping the Impressionist movement, Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir met in Paris in the 1960s and forged a lasting friendship based on mutual admiration, exploring questions about their art, and cultivating shared interests in genres ranging from still life to landscape, portraits, and the nude. Developing their own particular styles, they went on to leave an indelible mark on artists who came after them – Cézanne with an emphasis on rigor and geometry, Renoir a focus on harmony and softness – both pivotal figures of their time, from the last quarter of the 19th century into the early 20th, from the inception of Impressionism to its peak. The book showcases masterpieces collected by art dealer Paul Guillaume, who recognized Cézanne and Renoir as pioneers of a style that was both classical and modern. After Guillaume passed away, his widow Domenica Walter continued to build the collection, which is today housed at the prestigious Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
From Left to Right: Auguste Renoir - Femme nue dans un paysage (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Franck Raux/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze), Auguste Renoir - Jeunes filles au piano (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Franck Raux/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze), Auguste Renoir - Paysage de neige (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Franck Raux/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze), Paul Cézanne - Arbres et maisons (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Hervè Lewandowski / RMN-GP / Dist. Photo SCALA, Firenze), Paul Cézanne - Dans le Parc de Chateau Noir (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Hervè Lewandowski/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze), Paul Cézanne - Le vase bleu (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Hervé Lewandowski/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze), Paul Cézanne - Pommes et biscuits (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Franck Raux/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze), Paul Cézanne - Portrait de Madame Cezanne (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Hervè Lewandowski / RMN-GP / Dist. Photo SCALA, Firenze), Paul Cézanne - Baigneurs (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Hervè Lewandowski / RMN-GP / Dist. Photo SCALA, Firenze)
The book offers an exhaustive survey of the work of the two artists, from the first canvases of the 1870s to the mature works of the early 20th century. Among the masterpieces: landscape painting (Renoir, Snowy Landscape, 1875; Cézanne, Trees and Houses, 1885), still lifes (Renoir, Flowers in a Vase, 1898; Cézanne, The Blue Vase, 1889-1890), portraits (Renoir, Claude Renoir in Clown Costume, 1909; Cézanne, Portrait of Madame Cézanne, 1885-1895), bathers (Renoir, Bather with Long Hair, 1895; Cézanne, Three Bathers, 1874-1875).
Paul Cézanne - Portrait du fils de l’artiste (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Franck Raux/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze)
It is co-edited by Musée de l’Orangerie conservator and curator Cécile Girardeau and Italian art historian and exhibition curator Stefano Zuffi.
Auguste Renoir - Bouquet de tulipes (© 2024 RMN-Grand Palais / Franck Raux/ Dist. Foto SCALA, Firenze)
