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Paul Cezanne, 'Avenue at Chantilly', 1888

About the work

Overview

Cezanne spent several months over the summer of 1888 working in and around Chantilly, some 24 miles north of Paris. This is one of three similar oil paintings of the park surrounding the chateau that he produced during his stay. The symmetry and spatial depth of this view may have appealed to him more than its historic associations, as he has focused on the avenue or path running through the Chantilly forest rather than on the town’s famous castle, seen in the distance.

Cezanne created an impression of depth by building up the landscape as a mosaic of carefully organised patches of colour. Warm ochre and reds contrast with cooler blues, greens and greys, and variations of tone suggest the play of light on foliage. Alternating bands of light and shade lead us in, and darker touches of blue and green define the structure of the trees and fences.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Avenue at Chantilly
Artist
Paul Cezanne
Artist dates
1839 - 1906
Date made
1888
Medium and support
oil on canvas
Dimensions
82 × 66 cm
Acquisition credit
Acquired from the Chester Beatty family under the acceptance-in-lieu procedure, 1990
Inventory number
NG6525
Location
Room 44
Collection
Main Collection
Frame
18th-century French Frame

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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