Preparatory Course 1-5 The Most Beautiful Jealousy In History

We can observe that the shape of the fruit dish in the painting is clearly not the typical shape of a fruit bowl. Upon closer inspection of the tablecloth, it becomes evident that this image is viewed from a top-down perspective, while the fruit dish, if taken out alone, would present an upward view. The dish has been artificially twisted forward at an angle, which is unrealistic. However, Cézanne was willing to sacrifice these objective shapes to achieve greater harmony and balance in the composition.

2. Abstracting objects into simple geometric shapes for easier composition

Cézanne often advised young artists to abstract objects in their paintings into simple geometric shapes, such as triangles, squares, and cylinders. This approach helps better arrange the overall structure of the painting.For instance, when painting a tree, a traditional perspective would focus on the trunk, branches, and leaves. To create a harmonious arrangement, one would need to consider how the branches are positioned, which complicates the composition.Instead, why not imagine the entire tree as a cylinder? Then envision a nearby river as a rectangular prism and the mountains behind it as triangles. By arranging these simple geometric shapes—triangles, squares, and cylinders—it becomes much easier to compose the painting. This method allows for a more holistic and macro perspective in structuring the entire artwork, promoting harmony rather than getting bogged down in how to depict every branch or ripple in the water. In this case, one might inadvertently sacrifice local forms to ensure the perfection and harmony of larger shapes.II. Cézanne’s Path to Becoming an Artist Closely Linked to His Friend Zola’s JealousyAfter discussing Cézanne’s historical significance and painting philosophy, let’s explore how he became an artist.

1. Cézanne’s Friend: Émile Zola

When discussing Cézanne, one cannot overlook his lifelong friend: the great French writer Émile Zola. Zola is known for many classic works such as Germinal, Nana, and Money. He was a classmate of Cézanne’s from childhood; they often hung out together during their school years. The reason Cézanne embarked on his path as a painter was largely due to Zola’s encouragement.

2. Zola’s Disapproval of Cézanne’s Paintings

Where does “jealousy” come into play? Shouldn’t this be a heartwarming story of friends helping each other? In reality, Zola’s motivation to encourage Cézanne’s artistic pursuits was somewhat peculiar. First, Zola frequently mentioned in his books or letters that Cézanne had more literary talent than he did; he believed Cézanne’s writing was particularly poetic and that he could become a great poet or writer. Second, Zola never appreciated Cézanne’s paintings.Many Impressionist painters were contemporaries of Cézanne; initially, works by Manet and others were not accepted by the public either. Zola was the first literary figure to stand up and support Impressionist painters because of his significant influence in the literary world; he could use his clout to back Manet and others. However, despite his influence, he never publicly praised Cézanne or recommended his works; it could be said that Zola looked down on Cézanne’s paintings.Zola even wrote a novel titled L’Œuvre, telling the tragic story of a failed painter who ultimately commits suicide. The protagonist was actually based on Cézanne; after reading it, Cézanne severed ties with Zola.

3. Zola’s Encouragement for Cézanne to Become a Painter Stemmed from “Jealousy”

First, Zola believed that Cézanne had greater talent in literature. Second, Zola did not appreciate Cézanne’s paintings and even wrote a novel satirizing him based on his story—this was jealousy at play.Zola feared that if Cézanne became a writer and produced better literary works than his own, he would gain more fame. Since Cézanne loved painting so much, it made sense for Zola to encourage him to pursue art instead; after all, Cézanne came from a wealthy family and wouldn’t starve if his paintings didn’t sell.Zola grew up in poverty; his father died when he was young, and he lived under constant financial pressure from creditors. This hardship forged his resilient character—a trait essential for many groundbreaking writers.In contrast, Cézanne had a relatively weak personality and came from an affluent background with an unsupportive banker father who opposed his desire to paint. The friendship between these two contrasting personalities exemplifies a classic psychological dynamic: the Alpha Male (Zola) and Beta Male (Cézanne). In such friendships, one person tends to be dominant while the other is more submissive; often, the weaker individual acts based on suggestions from the stronger one. Thus, Zola’s encouragement became crucial for someone like Cézanne.When Zola moved to Paris, they maintained correspondence; Zola’s encouragement was key for Cézanne in resisting his father’s will and ultimately becoming an artist.It can be said that apart from his passion for painting, a significant part of why Cézanne became an artist was due to Zola’s encouragement. Zola achieved fame many years before Cézanne did; inspiration from successful individuals is indeed important.Cézanne’s hometown is Provence—the city of lavender.The place where Cézanne and Zola grew up is also Cézanne’s hometown: the famous Provence region. Provence is renowned for its fields of lavender that bloom from mid-June to mid-July each year.If you ever have the chance to visit France, don’t spend all your time shopping for luxury goods in Paris; make sure to visit southern France’s Provence during mid-June to mid-July when its lavender fields are breathtakingly beautiful.