Paul Cézanne: Fleurs dans un vase

Paul Cézanne

(1838-1906)


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Fleurs dans un vase


Painted between 1872-83


Oil on canvas


41.1 x 33 cm

Fleurs dans un vase is a striking still life by Paul Cézanne, showcasing his distinctive approach to form, color, and spatial tension. Though the subject is traditional—cut flowers arranged in a vase—Cézanne’s interpretation is anything but conventional. Painted in the late 19th century, this work reflects his efforts to move beyond Impressionism toward a more structured, enduring visual language that would become foundational to modern art. 


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In Fleurs dans un vase, Cézanne presents a vibrant arrangement of flowers that seem to press outward from the canvas. The vase rests on a table or ledge, often tilted at an improbable angle. A hallmark of Cézanne’s play with perspective.


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Cézanne was less interested in botanical accuracy and more focused on how the forms, colors, and spatial relationships interacted. He famously wanted to “treat nature by the cylinder, the sphere, and the cone,” and even in a seemingly delicate floral still life, this structural vision is evident.