Cézanne, Paul (1839-1906)
Victor Chocquet
c.1877
Oil on canvas, 35.24 x 27.31 cm
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
Early in his artistic career, Cézanne became associated with painters including Pissarro, Monet, Renoir, and Degas. He learned the theories and techniques of Impressionism from Pissarro and devoted himself to painting landscapes and still lifes before branching out into portraiture. Whereas the Impressionists attempted to replicate the natural effects of light, Cézanne emphasized chromatic effects and the underlying structures of his subjects. His canvases feature strong contrasts of light and dark tones along with a vigorous application of paint. The fervor that his painting expressed and its overriding concern with the formal aspects of the medium proved influential on many early 20th-century artists.
When Cézanne‘s works were presented at the 1877 Impressionist Exhibition, they were severely criticized and misunderstood. This portrait is the first commissioned work by the artist and demonstrates the sitter’s unique understanding of Cézanne‘s aesthetic commitments. Victor Choquet was a senior editor at the Directorate-General of Customs and Indirect Taxes and a connoisseur of the emergent movements in modern art. He passionately defended and avidly collected works by many Impressionists, but he was particularly enthusiastic about Cézanne‘s paintings and eventually purchased more than thirty. In this portrait, Cézanne creates luminous volumes using small brushstrokes enlivened by complementary reds and greens to depict his friend’s kindly features. (VMFA)
See also:
• Chocquet, Victor (1821-1891)