The Artist's Father
7:00 AM |
| Paul Cezanne, The Artist's Father, 1866 |
By MISSY ROSENTHAL
In Richard Brettel's Modern Art 1851-1929, the author examines a shift in art technique and subject matter. Brettel discusses the concept of fetishism and how it specifically appears in a number of Cézanne’s pieces. Brettel describes fetishism as, "to involve the view in the process of artistic creation by fetishizing their major mater, paint." Cézanne's work showcases palette knife techniques, giving little depth to the piece and creating large gaps among brush strokes, which are characteristic of fetishism. The fetishism movement stemmed from the advent of photography. Because photography allowed for truly real imaging, the role of art changed from a necessary means of documentation to a method of appreciating the mere act of painting, rather than the subject it portrays. Cézanne accomplishes fetishism by flattening the piece to serve as un unrealistic artistic work rather than a realistic portrait.
In Richard Brettel's Modern Art 1851-1929, the author examines a shift in art technique and subject matter. Brettel discusses the concept of fetishism and how it specifically appears in a number of Cézanne’s pieces. Brettel describes fetishism as, "to involve the view in the process of artistic creation by fetishizing their major mater, paint." Cézanne's work showcases palette knife techniques, giving little depth to the piece and creating large gaps among brush strokes, which are characteristic of fetishism. The fetishism movement stemmed from the advent of photography. Because photography allowed for truly real imaging, the role of art changed from a necessary means of documentation to a method of appreciating the mere act of painting, rather than the subject it portrays. Cézanne accomplishes fetishism by flattening the piece to serve as un unrealistic artistic work rather than a realistic portrait.
While Cézanne portrays the tumultuous relationship he had with his banker father. The artist illustrates this with thicker dark layers placed on the figure. One can interpret this rendering as an assertion of independence on the part of the artist from his overbearing father. Cézanne rejected his father's vision of his future as a successful banker or an attorney to study art. The painting in the background is of a still life Cézanne painted prior, symbolizing his success. The newspaper, L'Evénement refers to Emile Zola, a childhood friend of Cézanne and a renowned art critic, who encouraged Cézanne to study art in Paris.
In addition to the meaning behind the subject and his execution of fetishism, The Artist's Father contains dark hues with a frequent use of shadows. The artist creates a modern painting while maintaining elements of classic portrait such as focusing the subject in the foreground. Although Cézanne intended to depict his father in a certain way, his work exemplifies Brettel's definition of fetishism through the use of the paint.
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