Behind the Portraits of Madame Cézanne
Paul Cézanne (French, 1839–1906). Madame Cézanne (Hortense Fiquet, 1850–1922) in the Conservatory,1891. Oil on canvas; 36 1/4 x 28 3/4 in. (92.1 x 73 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Bequest of Stephen C. Clark, 1960 (61.101.2)
«My first impression of Hortense Fiquet, or Madame Cézanne, is that she has the face of the disapproving old woman who lives next door to you. Her expression is similar to that of someone unaware they're having their picture taken. Regardless of her harsh looks, post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne decided to depict his wife, time and time again, over a twenty-year period, presenting Fiquet in a serene light that gives her an air of mystery and intrigue.»
In the majority of the works in Madame Cézanne, you notice the lack of intricate detail. The paint is loosely applied and not particularly developed, leaving room for thought: Is it meant to look unfinished? Or, did it look finished to Cézanne? Cézanne played with the tradition of reformed and classical portraiture—making things off-balance, outlined, blurred out, and often shifting the focus. For example, in Madame Cézanne in the Conservatory(pictured above), Hortense's hands are almost fully unfinished, while, in contrast, the tree in the background has a wide range of value and detail.
During the recent Portraiture Experiments teen event here at the Met, we explored Cézanne's techniques and deciphered their coherence. We explored the fact that although all the paintings were of the same woman, her facial features change from work to work. In some pieces the shape of her face and her eyes is wider, while in others they're smaller. One constant is that Fiquet almost always sat in the same position—with a straight back and her hands together on her lap.
During the event, we were able to use our gallery discussions as inspiration to make our own portraits using Cézanne's technique of sketching with conté crayon under paint and using acrylic in place of oils.
This seemingly innocent sense of a husband admiring his wife through his art also had a more complicated side. As noted on the exhibition page, "Although the circumstances of their first encounter are unknown, an early portrait from 1872 suggests that she [Hortense] was modeling for Cézanne by the age of twenty-two." The story goes that she was his mistress for many years before she became his wife, something Cézanne went to great lengths to conceal.
While Cézanne consciously concealed information about his life with Hortense and their relationship, the paintings reveal a lot about the growth of his style and artistic practice.
Desiree undefined
Desiree is an intern with the Museum's High School Internship Program.