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Why did Cezanne change his mind when painting ‘Bathers’?

Seeing ‘Bathers’ without its frame, raises both insights and questions about this large scale work from the end of Cezanne’s career.

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This large painting is one of three pictures of female bathers that Cezanne worked on during the final decade of his life, before his death in 1906.

National Gallery curator Christopher Riopelle and conservator Paul Ackroyd discuss Cezanne's work and the reasons behind his changes to the original composition of the ‘Bathers', including why he folded over a section of the canvas at the top of the painting.

Christopher introduces the painting and explains Cezanne’s approach to spatial relationships in his artwork. He also shares the story of the painting’s acquisition by the Gallery in 1964, championed by sculptor Henry Moore, our Artist Trustee at the time.

Paul provides details about the recent conservation treatment and the surprising discovery of French newspaper cuttings along the side of the canvas from a previous relining treatment. 

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Funding for the conservation of Paul Cezanne’s ‘Bathers (Les Grandes Baigneuses)’ (about 1894-1905) was generously provided through a grant from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

 

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