Timeline Paul Cézanne: Father of Modern Art

Paul Cézanne: Father of Modern Art 18

• 1839 Paul Cézanne is born in Aix-en-Provence Birth of the future painter in southern France Paul Cézanne is born on 19 January 1839 in Aix-en-Provence, the son of a hatter who later became a successful banker.
• 1852 Paul Cézanne enters the Collège Bourbon and befriends Émile Zola A lifelong friendship begins at school in Aix At the Collège Bourbon in Aix, Paul Cézanne meets the future novelist Émile Zola. Their friendship shaped both men's artistic ambitions.
• 1859 Paul Cézanne's family acquires the Jas de Bouffan An estate near Aix that became his main studio Cézanne's father buys the Jas de Bouffan, an estate outside Aix-en-Provence. Paul painted there for decades and decorated its rooms with early murals.
• 1861 Paul Cézanne moves to Paris and meets Camille Pissarro He studies at the Académie Suisse Paul Cézanne settles in Paris to pursue painting and attends the Académie Suisse. There he meets Camille Pissarro, who becomes a key mentor.
• 1863 Paul Cézanne shows work at the Salon des Refusés Rejected by the official Salon, he joins the avant-garde Paul Cézanne's work is among the paintings turned down by the official Salon and displayed at the Salon des Refusés, which opened on 15 May 1863.
• 1869 Paul Cézanne meets Hortense Fiquet The model who became his partner and later his wife Paul Cézanne meets Hortense Fiquet, a young model in Paris. She became his companion and the mother of their son Paul, born in 1872.
• 1870 Paul Cézanne withdraws to L'Estaque during the Franco-Prussian War He starts painting the Mediterranean coast Paul Cézanne leaves Paris for L'Estaque near Marseille during the Franco-Prussian War. The coast remained a recurring subject in his landscapes.
• 1872 Paul Cézanne paints outdoors with Pissarro at Pontoise Impressionist landscape practice shapes his style Paul Cézanne works alongside Camille Pissarro at Pontoise. Painting directly from nature lightens his palette and loosens his brushwork.
• 1874 Paul Cézanne exhibits at the first Impressionist exhibition Shows The House of the Hanged Man in Paris Paul Cézanne takes part in the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris, showing among other works The House of the Hanged Man. Critics were harsh.
• 1877 Paul Cézanne exhibits at the third Impressionist exhibition His last showing with the group Paul Cézanne shows a larger group of paintings at the third Impressionist exhibition. It was his last participation with the group, and he afterwards worked mostly in Provence.
• 1886 Paul Cézanne marries Hortense Fiquet He legitimises the union with the mother of his son Paul Cézanne marries Hortense Fiquet on 28 April 1886 in Aix-en-Provence, after seventeen years together.
• 1886 Paul Cézanne inherits after his father's death Louis-Auguste Cézanne's death brings financial security Paul Cézanne's father, Louis-Auguste, dies on 23 October 1886. The inheritance freed the painter from money worries and left him the Jas de Bouffan.
• 1890 Paul Cézanne begins The Card Players series Five paintings of peasants absorbed in a game Around 1890 Paul Cézanne begins his Card Players series, which occupied him until about 1895. The five canvases are among his best-known figure paintings.
• 1895 Paul Cézanne holds his first solo exhibition at Ambroise Vollard's gallery Paris rediscovers him after years in Provence The dealer Ambroise Vollard presents a major solo show of Paul Cézanne in Paris in November 1895. It brought him to the attention of younger artists.
• 1899 Paul Cézanne sells the Jas de Bouffan He loses the family estate and studio After his mother's death, the family sells the Jas de Bouffan in 1899, and Paul Cézanne moves into an apartment in Aix.
• 1902 Paul Cézanne has his Les Lauves studio built near Aix He paints Mont Sainte-Victoire and the Bathers there Paul Cézanne has a studio built on the Les Lauves hill north of Aix-en-Provence, where he worked until his death. From there he painted Mont Sainte-Victoire and his late Bathers.
• 1904 Paul Cézanne is given a room at the Salon d'Automne Younger painters celebrate his work The Salon d'Automne in Paris gives Paul Cézanne a room of his own in 1904. His reputation grows among the younger generation of artists.
• 1906 Paul Cézanne dies in Aix-en-Provence He dies a few days after collapsing while painting in the rain Paul Cézanne dies on 22 October 1906 in Aix-en-Provence, days after being caught in a storm while painting outdoors. His posthumous retrospective in 1907 deeply influenced Picasso and Braque.