Paul Cezanne’s oil painting, titled “Uncle Dominique as a Lawyer,” measures 65 x 54 cm and is held in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The painting is part of a series of portraits that Cezanne painted of his maternal uncle, Antoine Dominique Sauveur Aubert, in late 1866. During this period, Cezanne used thick layers of pigment and dramatic tonal contrasts to create his paintings.
In this portrait, Cézanne worked quickly using both a brush and palette knife in his technique. He applied paint almost as though it were cement to create texture and depth in the painting. The portrait is categorized as being from Cezanne’s dark period and has been compared to his other portraits of family members.
There is also suggested relationship between this painting and Cezanne’s wall painting of Mary Magdalene in Jas de Bouffan. Reproductions and prints of the artwork are available for purchase.
Cezanne’s “Uncle Dominique as a Lawyer” offers viewers insight into the artist’s experimentation with texture and dramatic contrasts during his dark period. The use of thick layers of pigment alongside quick execution techniques highlight not only Uncle Dominique but also Paul Cézanne himself as an artist experimenting with new forms.
